


Every Boy Wants A Dog For Christmas

by nanjcsy, WitchesBrew



Series: Christmas Thramsay [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Continued Short Stories, M/M, Ramsay is his own warning, Theon acts very doglike, Thramsay - Freeform, short stories until end of winter.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-04 07:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 43
Words: 35,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5326517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanjcsy/pseuds/nanjcsy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchesBrew/pseuds/WitchesBrew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Oh, look<br/>What's this?<br/>Another freakish show? The bliss!<br/>Oh might we hear a squeak? Required!<br/>We're gathering around to hear a story<br/>To fulfill a dark desire<br/>What's this?"</p><p>There’s no Christmas without an advent calender, and there’s certainly no proper Christmas without some Thramsay! It goes without saying that we all have a really dark desire to know what on Earth is going on with Ramsay and Theon around Christmas time. Hopefully this work will somewhat give answer to this question. However, as Christmas is a time for fun, laughter and innocence, this story will likewise take place in a more innocent pre-Reek Bolton home setting.<br/>The story will run for the next 25 days, with a new chapter posted every day – and if you kids behave maybe a final bonus chapter ;)</p><p>This is a collaborative work between Nanjcsy and Witchesbrew, with Witchesbrew as the storyline creator and illustrator, and Nancjsy as the (magnificent!) author. </p><p>May your Chrismas be filled with ’sweet’ surprises!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. All Dogs Need Affection

**Prologue**

Roose sat down heavily, the cold still upon him from outside. With a groan he saw that Ramsay and Theon were already in the living room. On the television was a commercial for cars complete with a Santa driving them. Snorting, Ramsay commented, "It is only the first day of December and here are the ads." Nodding, Roose lifted a newspaper, as he responded, "Every year it starts earlier."

The show the kids were watching came back on. A demented man dressed as a bloodstained Santa wielded a chainsaw through what seemed to be an undead elf. That isn't what had Roose's face all screwed up in mild disgust though. "Ramsay! Stop that immediately. Theon isn't a dog." Both Ramsay and Theon stared at him in confusion. It didn't seem to occur to them how they must look. With Ramsay in the chair, Theon sitting at his feet, his head lying back on Ramsay's knees. Ramsay's hand petting gently in the tousled curls, curls that needed cutting and washing.

"Maybe for the holidays you'll get him a leash and collar." Roose snapped in true annoyance, getting up. He swore off spirits after he got Ramsay's mother pregnant. Once he took his son in permanently he finds himself swearing by them again.

 


	2. Dogs Must Be Groomed

**December 1**

Ramsay wore a thunderous expression the whole week that Theon was gone. He was barely speaking to his father at all for allowing the Starks to take him on their winter camping trip. When Theon returned Ramsay made sure to throw everything he had from them in the basement. The only parts of the trip that Ramsay even remotely listened to was about the deer hunting itself. And the Starks managing to lose their youngest boys and Theon.

"We stayed in this really nasty cabin when we got trapped by the snow those last three days. We could hear howling and we had to throw out the two deer we had taken down." Snorting, Ramsay said, "Figures that you got stuck with Bran and Rickon in that little shack. Were the three of you really stupid enough to stay in the same shack as the slaughter? It is a miracle that you survived at all. For once I guess I owe Robb and Jon thanks for at least finding you.

When Theon started to scratch at his arms, neck and head over the next day or two, Ramsay would whack his head. "Knock it off! What is your issue?" That night Theon started to scratch enough that Roose gave him a lotion and said that damp woods can have that effect. Two days later, Ramsay threatened to break Theon's fingers if he scratched one more time.

That is when Theon started to get inventive. He would rub his back against trees in the yard and his arms against the sharper edges of the furniture. If Ramsay sat with his legs outstretched, Theon would rub his head along his knees, or his face along Ramsay's thigh. Sometimes, Theon would lay on the rug then drag various itchy parts of himself along both the rug and Ramsay's shoes. Sighing, Ramsay grabbed Theon when he caught him grazing his own teeth along his knobby shoulder. He yanked him up onto the couch and then shook him. "Stop it! Dammit, you are making me itchy now!" Ramsay complained. That is when Roose called up from the basement. "Boys! Ramsay, did you put all the stuff from Theon's camping trip down here? It is full of dead fleas!"

Upon inspection by Roose not only were both boys infested but so was Ramsay's room and the living room. The Starks ended up not just paying for their own home fumigated but the Boltons too. In spite of the humiliation of his father scrubbing him down with flea shampoo right alongside Theon in the garage, Ramsay was happy with the end result. Roose decided it was time for Theon to end his trips with the Starks.


	3. Scavenger Hunts Can Be Stimulating

**December 2**

Roose came out of his study, stretching his arms and yawning. He headed for the kitchen to get a quick cup of coffee and Theon darted past him. The boy seemed to be clutching something in his hands and putting it on the kitchen table. Going into the room after Theon left it for the backyard, Roose looked at the items scattered upon the table. Then he looked out the window as the boy was crawling about the garden, searching for something. With a cry of triumph, Theon came in with his treasure and added it to the pile on the table. The boy went upstairs next and Roose shook his head then went to seek his son.

He found Ramsay lying on the couch watching some long action movie. Roose cleared his throat and with a groan Ramsay paused his movie. "Yes Father?" "Can I ask why Theon is putting items on my table? Why he just took a large ham bone that some raccoon dragged from the garbage out of the garden? Why he took the new chew toy I bought for your dogs? Why Theon just took one of the new scented candles the maid set out before she left after she cooked the fish? Or why he just stole the bag of peppermints I put on the counter and left it on the table with the rest of the small bit of groceries I bought and left in the car? Or how about why he has just come downstairs with the new hall lamp I purchased?"

Sighing Ramsay responded, "I just want to watch this damned movie uninterrupted! So I told Theon it was a scavenger hunt that I left new treats for him everywhere." Roose sadly watched his new doilies go onto the table and he said slowly, "You didn't really leave the boy any treats, did you?" Ramsay smirked and said to his father, "Good thing I told him to stay in the common areas only." Roose shut off the movie and said, "Theon may have gained some new items but you have earned something too. Bend over." By the time Ramsay's spanking was over so was the movie. Also by that time all of the items from the table were missing. Judging by the sly look on Theon's face, Roose knew his items might well be underneath the garden as easily as they might be under Ramsay's bed.


	4. Panicking Puppy

**December 3**

Ramsay tried to leave the large window display but Theon was plastered against the glass watching the trains go around the ornate village. "Okay, that's enough, I am bored. Come on..." He pulled and Theon readily followed, even though his head swiveled around to see all the different sights.

Ramsay found himself being tugged by his coat. "Ramsay, Ramsay can we go see the carolers? Huh? Please?" With a snort of disgust, Ramsay said no, he wanted to head towards the frozen lake where the Boys were. Theon kept dancing around the whole way, looking at everything, causing Ramsay to keep grabbing his shirt collar and yanking him forward. "Theon! Pay attention." He snapped, dragging him towards the lake.

Finally they reached the other milling folks and then Ramsay saw Damon's towering figure. "Thought I'd never make it in time." Ramsay groaned, taking a beer from Skinner. "Fucking Theon had to stop and stare at every little thing." Theon was watching the carolers from the distance, scrambling up on a large boulder to see better.

That is when the first boom of the Christmas fireworks went off and Theon screamed. The boys laughed and Ramsay chuckled when Theon landed on him. The next boom caused Theon to try and hide in Ramsay's coat. The third boom was the loudest of all and Theon bolted away. Unconcerned, Ramsay lay back and watched the fireworks.

He found Theon curled underneath the backseat shaking later on. Coaxing Theon into his usual seat, Ramsay wrapped his boy in a thick flannel blanket for the ride home. "Well, since you did so well with this little holiday outing, I can't wait to bring you to the New Year's Eve Party this year! And to think I kept you home from it all these years! I am so glad you bugged me so much about bringing you this time that I gave in. And here is the best part, Theon! The New Year's Eve fireworks are even bigger! I can't wait." The more Ramsay spoke, the lower Theon's head went until eventually Ramsay was just talking to a blanket.


	5. Sit. Shut up. Eat.

**December 4**

Ramsay watched as Theon started coming towards the table carrying a heavy tray. Jon and Robb were flanking him and Damon groaned. "Oh shit, that's right, they are sitting with us today. We have that fucking project, remember? Fucking Mr. Lannister won't let us out of it." Sighing, Ramsay shoves Theon down next to him as he reaches the table. "Sit. Shut up. Eat." Ramsay muttered and started to slap his own hands at Theon's fluttering ones. "Stop it, are you trying to fucking talk or fly away? Sit. Shut up. Eat." Theon went still and silent. Satisfied, Ramsay stared in triumph at Jon and Robb. He put the bowl of salad and the small thing of jello on a paper plate then put it in front of Theon. Ramsay nodded and Theon picked up his fork.

Jon instantly took offense and started to argue with Ramsay. "He isn't a fucking trained dog, Ramsay! He can talk if he wants, eat what and when he wants!" Arching his eyebrows, Ramsay asked, "Theon? Are you a trained dog?" Theon shook his head and said, "No. I am a person. Jon, why do you always have to pick a fight? We have a project to do and-" Out of the corner of his eye, Theon watched his salad leave. Then the fork was plucked out of his hand too. "Sit. Shut up. Eat. Repeat that for me. Now." Bright red with embarrassment, Theon repeated it and lowered his eyes. "Good. Now do it." The food appeared again and Ramsay put the fork back into Theon's hand.

Clearing his throat for attention, Damon said, "Why don't we break up this assignment in half, get it done faster. I mean, we could get this done without ever having to meet again until its nearly done." Robb heartily agreed with this suggestion as did the others. Then Jon announced he wanted to work with Theon. Ramsay told him to fuck off and that they would play a game for it. That set Theon back up and pleading for Jon not to take Ramsay up on the game. Again, his food left and this time for a longer time period. Ramsay did not offer the food back even when Jon and Robb stormed off. He waited until Theon finally sighed and said, "Sit. Shut up and eat." Ramsay smirked at Theon's humiliated face and put the food back in front of him. Without a single word more, Theon ate his lunch.


	6. How To Catch A Scared Puppy

**December 5**

Ramsay woke up to the sounds of Theon softly padding to the door to make sure to have breakfast ready. His good mood fell when his cell phone reminder beeped. Today was the damned flu shot appointment Roose set up for them. "I don't want that boy taking any chances with a flu while he is under my foster care, Ramsay. I don't care what happens when he sees needles. You wanted him, you take care of him or I send him back to the Starks. I know Jon would make sure that Theon received needed medical care."

At breakfast he tried to be very casual about it. "I want you to go shower after you take your vitamins and drink your smoothie." Ramsay munched bacon that Theon has made him and pretends not to see the startled glance. "It's Saturday, Ramsay. Not a school day and we aren't going out with your Dad." A good glare would have kept Theon's mouth shut but it would also make him flighty. It would make him panic and figure out he was going somewhere he won't like. This will lead to the conclusion of the dentist or the doctor. Either one will send Theon into fits.

With a brilliant smile, Ramsay said, "You have been very good this past week, even cancelling with the Starks for dinner when I was lonely. That deserves a small treat. You go shower and I am taking us out for some ice cream. Go on now, before I change my mind." Theon gave Ramsay a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug as he left the room. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I will be fast, I promise!" Sucker, sneered Ramsay as he watched Theon brush past his father on the steps.

"Theon, are you going to shower, I hope? You can't go for a flu shot if you-". A sharp gasp and Ramsay groaned, hearing the footsteps fleeing up the stairs. "Thanks, Dad. Awesome. It will take me all day to catch him now." It took Ramsay two hours before he figured out that Theon was just changing hiding places over and over. Finally, Ramsay crawled under his own bed after figuring out the pattern. He waited four minutes then right on time, Reek came flying from the bathroom under the bed. He screamed when he saw Ramsay.

It took ten minutes of rolling to get Theon out from under the bed then another thirty to drag him into the shower and clean him. The wet wriggly boy would climb all over him begging not to go. "Oh, for fuck's sake, Theon! Its just a quick flu shot, you are being a baby!" Dressing him was like dressing a slippery puppy and Ramsay got nipped twice for his efforts. A slapped hand over Theon's mouth and a growled, "Bite again and see what happens." That seemed to work until Theon was dressed and Ramsay grabbed his car keys. Then he watched as Theon ran out the door and down the stairs.

It took Ramsay another fifteen minutes before his father who was passing by said, "How long are you letting Theon hide under the sink?" Out of patience, Ramsay carried Theon over his shoulder, tossing him into the seat belt. "I swear if you move, I am putting you in the trunk." Theon sobbed but simply clutched his seat-belt. Until Ramsay opened his car door then Theon took off into the yard.

Not a single soul said a word as the car stopped and a very annoyed young man got out. He stormed to the trunk of his car and pulled a sobbing boy out. Slamming his trunk shut, Ramsay stormed inside the clinic with the sobbing Theon. He sighed loudly while restraining Theon during the shot. Then he threw the boy back into the trunk and sped off. Ramsay got about half a mile before he cursed then took an illegal turn.

A minute later he pulled into a parking lot and opened the trunk. "Alright, come here. I am sorry, I know it hurt, Theon." Ramsay bought him a small chocolate chip ice cream and fed it to him. Then allowed Theon to sit in the passenger seat for the ride home. And spent half the time mocking Theon's behavior and the other half poking the sore injection spot. 


	7. The Sweater

**December 6**

An early present arrived from his dusty aunt and Ramsay was ignoring it. Theon kept poking at it and asking Ramsay to open it so finally he did. It was a cashmere sweater and it matched his eyes. Tossing it aside, Ramsay ignored it. Every morning he yelled from the shower for Theon to set out his clothing, he would find the sweater on the bed to wear. Only when Ramsay ran out of other shirts did he wear it. And couldn't get Theon off of him.

"Stop it!" He would snap as Theon's hands kept lingering across his arms and back while he was trying to eat breakfast. While they waited in line at the store, Theon kept running his cheeks and nose on the shirt while Ramsay kept trying to shrug and elbow him away. In the car, Ramsay watched Theon nearly strangle himself in the seat-belt to try and reach the shirt under Ramsay's jacket.

During lunch Ramsay figured he would be safe if he let Theon sit in a booth and order a full lunch. Except even the promise of a bacon cheeseburger and fries could not stop Theon from trying. He went to the restroom just to pass Ramsay and caress the cashmere shoulder. Then he dropped his napkin twice and somehow had to climb up Ramsay's side and rub his whole head against the sweater before returning to his side.

"Keep acting like that and I won't let you come to the gaming party tonight." Ramsay warned but the sweater on Ramsay was too much it seemed for Theon to behave. When they got back to the house, Ramsay told Theon to carry the bag of munchies and soda inside. Without any complaint, Theon got the bags and brought them inside. He put the soda in the fridge, the snacks left on the counter along with empty bowls for them. The second Ramsay hung up his jacket, Theon was there. He wrapped his entire self around Ramsay, his face already dragging across the sweater and his nostrils were flaring.

"Theon? Are you fucking sniffing me? Hey! Stop that!" Ramsay slapped Theon's nose and walked away to the living room. He threw himself on the couch and saw Theon trying to climb onto the couch, his eyes already focused on the sweater. "No! Off the couch! I am taking a nap and you are going to go set up everything for the guys. No, don't give me the eyes, go!" Ramsay waited until Theon dragged himself out of the room giving sad glances back. He fell asleep hearing Theon moving about the other room.

He woke up to feeling hot and heavy. Blinking, Ramsay discovered that Theon had somehow managed to curl almost his entire self onto Ramsay's chest. His eyes were closed and even in sleep his cheek was moving across the fabric. "DAMMIT, THEON! GET OFF ME!" That night Ramsay followed through on his threat and locked Theon out of the room while the boys gamed. Theon stood there on the other side of the door and whimpered. He softly knocked every now and then begging Ramsay to let him in. Ramsay would go and kick the door and yell, "No! Bad Theon!"

By the second hour of this the Boys were starting to get irritated so Ramsay decided on desperate measures. With a growl, he ripped the damned sweater off. Opening the door, he shoved the sweater in Theon's whining face then held it above his head. "FETCH!" Ramsay threw the sweater and as it fluttered downstairs, Theon flew down the stairs after it. Slamming the door shut, locking it again, Ramsay sat back down. The Boys all stared at him and Ramsay glared at each of them, daring them to say something. None of them quite dared to.


	8. The Dog Park

**December 7**

Robb and Jon watched as Ghost and Grey Wind waited patiently for their leashes to be removed, then bolted. They kicked up leaves and dirt racing across the dog park, their well known stomping grounds. "Mom will kill us if we don't brush them well before they come in tonight." Robb sighed, watching as his dog rolled in a muddy patch until he was nearly spiky. A growl and a rush of fur went close by and Jon stiffened. "Fuck, Ben is here with his hell hounds."

Last time Ben was busy hitting on a girl rather than watching his dogs, that girl nearly lost her bulldog down their gullets. "Fucking Ramsay gets his dad to pay for his special license here, its bullshit." Grumbled Robb but he breathed a sigh of relief when the pit bull turned out to be Jeyne. It was a brindle that for some reason hasn't an aggressive bone in her body, regardless of how Ben might try. She was good pals with Ghost and it drove Ben crazy, therefore it made Jon happy. 

Ben wasn't watching this time either of course. Luckily his other dogs were all in a pile licking a person. Or at least the boys hoped it was just licking and not an actual tasting. It was with relief that they saw Theon standing up from the pile, laughing. Ben called out, "Hey! Theon!" A ball came arcing through the air and the dogs leaped almost as high but not quite. Theon caught the ball and started to run while the dogs all chased after him barking with glee. They took him down and his laughing boomed through the park.

A whistle pierced the air next as Ramsay came into view from just beyond the dog park gate. Theon turned and ran towards Ramsay as Ben looked over grinning. "Thanks for watching him, Ben!" Ramsay called as he started to brush leaves off Theon before letting him into the car. Jon and Robb watched in startled silence then chose not to speak of it.


	9. Fudge and Fruitcake Are Not For Dogs

**December 8**

Every couple of weeks, Ramsay tosses through his room for Theon's hidden treasures. It wasn't ever anything bad, usually just items that bewilder him but seem to please Theon. An old stuffed squid Ramsay won for him at at a carnival years ago, a tennis ball that Theon can actually catch with his teeth due to its soggy old nature and a sea shell that sounds like the ocean his mother sent him once.

Theon also takes stranger things that Ramsay sometimes suspects has meaning he wouldn't like. Such as a bracelet, a worry stone and a small journal of Theon's dreams. Each time Ramsay would interrogate Theon or snoop about until he discovered the meaning of each. The bracelet was a gift from Arya who thought Theon would look nice with it. Ramsay accidentally broke it.

The stone was given to Theon by Jon and Ramsay let him keep it. Whenever Theon looked worried Ramsay would heat it up and hold it very close to his skin. "Are you worried yet, Theon?" He would coo and sure enough the worry stone kept Theon quite worried.

The journal was a suggestion by the therapist Roose made Theon see. Ramsay put it back and never even asked about the more disturbing dreams Theon wrote about. Now he was tilting his head to look at the small piece of tinfoil wrapped fudge with a tiny note on it. "Happy Holidays! Here is a piece of my fudge I'll be making for the Christmas party! Love, Jon.

Three days later Ramsay was playing a computer game with Theon when the boy groaned and clutched his stomach. "Ramsay! I need the bathroom now! Please!" Nodding and narrowing his eyes, Ramsay watched Theon bolt into his bathroom. He heard Theon groaning and whimpering as the laxative Ramsay had added to the fudge did it's brutal work. Getting up fast and lighting one of the scented candles he stole from downstairs earlier, Ramsay called out, "Consider yourself lucky, Theon! You won't believe what I baked into the piece of fruitcake I sent to Jon from you!"


	10. Playdate

**December 9**

Ramsay and Ben watched as Theon played with the new pup. The little dog seemed to love Theon and was jumping all around him. Everything Theon did the puppy copied. Bursting out laughing Ramsay said to Ben, "Okay that has to be the stupidest dog you have ever had." Ben stared at Ramsay indignantly. "She is not!" Ramsay pointed to the little puppy that was leaping though the leaf pile the same way Theon did. "She is following Theon's direction. It is the dumb leading the dumber."

"Is not, watch this! Kyra! Here Kyra, catch the ball!" Ben threw the ball and Kyra chased after it but got felled by her own paws. Theon picked up ball and gave it to her, then tossed it and chased it himself. Kyra saw this and started to get the idea. "See! Told you!" Ramsay said smugly, then he yelled to Theon. "Hey, go in the shed and get out that hard cider I hid there. Bring it here, Theon." With no more than a nod, the boy dashed off to the shed with Kyra on his heels. "At least my pet not only fetches but he can bring us liquor!" He smugly pointed out to Ben.

Suddenly there was a crash inside the shed and then barking. Kyra came dashing out then ran back in barking and then they heard Theon hollering for help. Running into the shed, Ramsay stood there staring at the carnage while Ben laughed. Theon had tried to climb the garbage bin to reach the top shelf and his leg had fallen in. Causing the boy to fall onto the long skinning station Ramsay had made out of an old door. Theon had somehow gotten his head caught between the shelf and door which had flipped sideways. Krya barked again and leaped triumphantly into Ben's arms. "Well at least Kyra can jump without hurting herself. Maybe when I finish training her I can bring her by as a good learning example for Theon."


	11. Potty Training A puppy

**December 10**

Olenna stamped her cane hard, as she made her way through the acne stained, entitled brats. She was always hoping to catch a toe or two and those were the days she started with a rare smile. Taking her coffee into her classroom she slammed the door shut to signal the kids to sit down. It took a moment for them all to settle and it looked like that Theon boy was trying to ask Ramsay something. "Shut up and sit, Theon. Have the decency to pretend at respect, young man and get your skinny self into that chair!"

After she got halfway through her coffee and almost into the brains of the students, she saw Theon fidgeting. Often the boy seems to have injuries or tics that plague him so she ignored it. After listening to Robb bore her to tears with his dissertation of Edgar Allen Poe, Ollena saw Theon cast pleading eyes at Ramsay. And he was squirming like a fish. Sighing, Olenna said, "Theon! Do you need to use the bathroom?" Theon stared with desperation at Ramsay and whined. Ramsay pretended a sudden interest in Edgar Allen Poe and peered intently into the book. "I am not in the mood for your games, boys! Damon, start reading the Tell Tale Heart out loud, please."

It wasn't clear who was closer to tears, Olenna from hearing Damon butcher her beloved author or Theon from needing to urinate so badly. Finally, Olenna could take no more of the whimpers and seat dancing nor of the destruction of Poe. "OH FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS STILL HOLY AND TRUE IN THE WORLD, I HAVE HAD IT! DAMON, EITHER LEARN TO READ OR JUST OIL THOSE MUSCLES AND FIND A RICH GIRL! AND RAMSAY, EITHER LET THEON USE THE RESTROOM OR START BRINGING PUPPY-PADS TO CLASS!" 


	12. Pavlov And Pizza

**December 11**

Roose tiredly paid the Limo driver and started to gingerly cross the frozen driveway. He can't figure out how it could have gotten this bad in just three days. Cursing Ramsay for not seeing to this considering the law suits they could be subjected to. This was the holiday season and there would be more foot traffic than ever on this driveway, whether they liked it or not. As he reached for the doorknob, he stared at the large white board that had huge black lettering on it. DO NOT RING DOORBELL! Ripping the sign down, Roose entered the warm, silent house. He tossed the stupid sign on the table then went to take a hot shower. After his shower, he slipped into his bed, wanting a nap before having to see the boys at supper.

It was not the nearly musical tinkling of chimes that roused him, it was the chaos that came after it. First a crash then a screech of joy followed by an angry curse. Then pounding footsteps that suggested a herd of buffalo were tap dancing upon the stairs. The sound of a door being wrenched open and a loud Theon shrieking out "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!" This was followed by muttering, Ramsay hollering and the door slamming shut. One despondent set of footsteps coming back up the stairs followed by thundering ones. Roose had almost drifted back off when this occurred again. Staggering, he went back downstairs and put the damned sign back up.

During dinner that night he told Ramsay he needed a better solution. "Folks need to come here to deliver things, Ramsay. He can't act like that every time someone shows up and I don't like folks thinking they can't use our doorbell." So the next night Ramsay made a phone call and then called Theon to him. "Guess what? I ordered pizza for dinner. Your favorite kind with extra bacon on it." Theon was beside himself and whenever lights went streaking past the dark windows, he would leap up, waiting. So was Ramsay who deliberately stayed near the door, pretending to play a game on his cell phone. The doorbell finally rang and here came Theon as if he were a racing greyhound. Ramsay had already opened the door but as soon as Theon came flying in, he slammed the door shut. Theon skidded to a halt and stared at the door then Ramsay. "But…but…it was the pizza, Ramsay."

Ramsay nodded and said, "Are you calmer now?" Theon nodded, while wringing his hands together. It was very rare for Ramsay to let him eat pizza and he was drooling. Arching his eyebrow, Ramsay said, "Wipe your chin." Dragging an arm across his mouth, Theon waited impatiently. Ramsay reopened the door but as soon as Theon started to come forward, babbling, he slammed it shut again. They could hear the pizza guy cursing on the other side and threatening to leave with the delivery. Theon started whining now and fidgeting. "Please, Ramsay...the pizza will leave!" It took two more tries before Ramsay stopped shutting the door on the man and he paid for the now cold pizza.

Roose never asked Ramsay how he broke Theon of acting like an excited loon over the doorbell. He did however wonder why Theon became very calm when the bell rang but started to drool instead.


	13. Taking A Pet On A Roadtrip

**December 12**

Ramsay was dreaming of a grand hunt. A young mean girl from school was naked, crying and running for her very life. Ramsay was in black armor, on a death machine of a horse. His demonic hounds have cornered her and he jumps off the horse. Slowly he approached the begging girl then as Ramsay is about to rape her, he was under attack. By the entire cast of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.

Shaking himself awake, Ramsay growled out, "Make it stop or I'll make YOU stop!" Theon hurried to shut off his cell alarm and Ramsay groaned. "It is still dark out. Why the fuck did you set your alarm to wake us so early? Fix it!" With a sigh, he heard Theon mutter an apology and then Ramsay rolled back over. Then listened as Theon paced the room. "Knock it off or I swear you'll ride in the trunk with the luggage, Theon!" Another muttered apology and just as Ramsay began to drift back off, the sounds of Theon rummaging. "What the fuck are you doing now?" "Just checking to make sure I packed a map." Ramsay sat up, sleep is impossible now. "You fucking idiot, my dad has a GPS. I have a GPS. Why do you need a paper map?" With an excited but serious face, Theon replied, "Because I have never been that far North before. I want to trace my way." Ramsay stared at Theon unblinking then threw his slipper hard into the boy's forehead.

An hour later Ramsay tried to eat his breakfast while ignoring how Theon seemed to actually inhale his bowl of cereal. Roose already has chastised the boy twice for running around in circles. His decision to allow Theon a full breakfast was less to be nice but to get the boy to sit down. Ramsay didn't protest for the exact same reason. As Roose began to make sure everything was packed for this visit to his sister's house, Theon went into full throttle. And throttle is what Ramsay was thinking to do to Theon.

He tried to call Damon to remind him about keeping an eye on the dogs while they were gone. It was hard to concentrate because Theon was busy doing stupid things. "Just make sure to feed them the dry mixed in with the wet food, okay? And remember that Kyra needs her pill. And - THEON! What the hell are you doing?" "I am bringing a journal with a sample of our tree leaves." Ramsay threw his sneaker at him this time.

When they got in the car, Ramsay sat in the front next to his father. Theon sat in back with his head hanging out the window. "I don't think we should hit a rest stop, Dad. We should just drive straight there." Ramsay advised as they saw the first rest stop coming up. Roose didn't listen then regretted it while he watched Theon begin to collect leaves. When they got back in the car, Theon stuck his head back out the window and Ramsay tried to nap. "Theon, put your head inside before you get something caught in your eye." Roose snapped and Ramsay groaned. They suffered twenty minutes of constant questions about everything deep North until Roose suggested Theon stick his head back out the window. Ramsay started to drift off finally, then heard the crinkling of the map paper and Theon muttering to himself.

"Perhaps I should have let him spend winter vacation with Jon after all." Roose sighed and Ramsay suddenly felt awake. "Hey, Theon. Tell me about those leaves of yours again." He gave a satisfied smirk to his father as the long drive became so much longer.


	14. Sock Thief

** December 13 **

"Theon! Have you seen my sock? The red ones, I can't find one of them!" He yelled but there was no response and Ramsay started cursing as he searched his drawers. Losing patience, Ramsay started tossing things everywhere, planning to make Theon clean it all back up. Where was that brat and where was the fucking sock?

He was late for a date with Myranda and his father was already bitching about him taking her in his new car. He had to nearly beg Roose for weeks to be allowed to borrow the car for this date. Alyn had sold him tickets for a concert that Myranda has been dying to go see.

Ramsay didn't have time to search but he had to have that pair of socks. She had bought the garish things as a Christmas gift last year and mentioned she had yet to see him wear them. Myranda said she would give him head the whole way home if he was wearing those socks. He doubts Theon has seem them either but still Ramsay hollered again to no avail.

Growling in frustration, he almost flipped the mattress when he suddenly caught sight of a bit of red color. There was the damned ugly sock, laying on top of Ramsay's plaid old pillow case from three years ago. Also nearly wrapped in the sock was an old stick of Ramsay's favorite deodorant. As Ramsay grabbed the sock, planning to lock Theon in his closet with a lecture on stealing stuff and not coming when called, he caught sight of more.

Under the jumble was a small drawing of Ramsay and Theon that he made in art class years ago. Next to that was a faded picture of Theon with his first bruised eye from Ramsay on a plastic key-chain cracked with age. With a shake of his head, Ramsay took back the sock then put the mattress back in place. He flew down the stairs and finally saw why Theon wasn't responding. The kid was sound asleep on the couch, curled up around Ramsay's favorite red flannel shirt.

Ramsay stood over Theon for a moment, his face seeming to soften in the white flickering tree lights. Then a smirk came back and Ramsay smacked Theon's ass hard, making the boy jump and yelp. "Going out with Myranda. Clean that mess up in my room and be in bed by nine. Be a good boy and stop stealing my stuff."


	15. Fetch

**December 14**

Ramsay saw Jon pull in with his beat up old jeep. He waited until Jon was barely out of the way before he zoomed past to park way too close. Jon grimaced and watched as Ramsay got out and snapped to Theon, "Bags." The thin boy eagerly scrambled out of the car, carrying his backpack and Ramsay's.

With malicious glee, Ramsay watched Jon struggle not to say something about it. Wanting to push Jon further, he commands, "Theon, get my water bottle for me." Without more than a nod, Theon is now trying to balance the bags while digging through for a bottle.

When Theon trots over to Ramsay and hands him the bottle, Ramsay says, "Good boy."

That was it and Jon exploded. "Stop treating him like a damned dog, Ramsay!" Shrugging, Ramsay grinned and said, "But he likes it, watch!"

Ramsay grabbed Jon's new cell phone and threw it hard. "Theon, fetch!" Jon screamed as Theon ran forth, trying to catch the flying shiny metal hurtling towards a larger yellow metal. Jon ran, but Ramsay was faster.

He caught Theon, just as the cell phone smashed into the front of the parking bus. "Fucking drunken asshole! I'll have you fired!" Screamed Ramsay towards the befuddled and egg nog filled bus driver wearing a stained reindeer sweater.

Jon stood there shaking and Theon burst into tears. "I..I didn't see it coming!" Ramsay turned his shaken boy into his tight embrace. Snarling, Ramsay said to Jon, "I think you've caused enough harm to Theon for one day, don't you? I am sorry, Theon, fucking bullies are everywhere." 

 


	16. Bullying A Dog

**December 15**

Robb woke up with no idea how bad of a day he would have. He awoke not to the warble of an early bird nor to the pleasant sounds of his alarm which was set to a Kenny G. song. Instead he was torn out of sleep by yelping. He sat up and looked out his window. Next door he could see Ramsay standing in the driveway holding a rolled up newspaper. Theon was cringing there before him, getting sharply whacked in the nose by Ramsay. On the driveway was a spilled mug of coffee and it must have been Ramsay's. "BAD BOY! BAD! BAD! BAD! NO RUNNING TO BRING MY COFFEE! BAD!" Each "bad" was followed by a whack with the rolled paper.

When Robb went outside to herd all the kids towards his car, he saw Ramsay getting into his then give a sharp whistle. Theon came running outside, carrying the book bags. A sharp "Get in" and Theon was leaping into the car. As Ramsay cut Robb off, nearly hitting their car, he could see that Theon's head was hanging out the window. Unwillingly, Robb couldn't stop seeing and hearing Theon's actions all day. Gritting his teeth, Robb noticed that every time Ramsay said, "Stay." Theon didn't move until Ramsay came back for him. During lunch time, Ramsay was tossing food in the air and Theon was leaping to catch it in his mouth. Throughout the day Ramsay tossed commands and Theon obeyed. "Theon, look! Hey, bad boy! Good boy. Sit. Eat. No! Theon, come here."

Theon sharpened Ramsay's pencil and brought it to him and then Ramsay grinned and said, "Open." Theon opened his mouth and eagerly ate the piece of chocolate that Ramsay tossed at him. Robb was grinding his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Last classes were cancelled so all students could attend a rally. Ramsay came strutting in with his friends all surrounding him. Next to Ramsay was a bobbing head, then as Damon moved slightly, Robb could see Theon leaping all around Ramsay in small circles. Ramsay and his friends sat down while Theon stared with large puppy eyes. With a snap of fingers, Ramsay pointed at the space in front of him. Theon nearly leaped to sit at Ramsay's feet and lay his head on his knee. Ramsay ran his fingers through Theon's hair and the boy's eyes were so large they seemed like they must fall out.

Robb tried to ignore the fact that they were all sitting next to him. He tried to pay attention to the speakers and cheer when others did. He really tried hard. And failed. Theon coughed softly and Ramsay pulled a bottle of water out of his backpack. He poured a small bit into his palm then held it to Theon's face and Robb saw a tiny flash of Theon's tongue. That was all he could take. 'DAMMIT, THEON GREYJOY, ARE YOU A FUCKING DOG?" Theon gasped and started to get tears in his eyes. Everyone stared coldly at Robb while Ramsay hugged Theon tightly to his chest and glared. "Well, that was not just mean of you, Robb, but clearly you aren't getting why we are here at this Anti-Bully rally!"


	17. All Dogs Are Capable of Aggression

**December 16**

Skinner, Alyn and Damon watched as Theon carried the usual tray to the table. Furrowing his brow, Skinner said, "Something seems different about the little puke today...oh I know..he isn't wearing Ramsay!" Theon didn't respond, mostly immune to their teasing these days. "Ramsay had to see Mrs. Tyrell because she thinks he and Myranda cheated on that test. He told me to come to lunch and eat without him." He muttered and began to neatly set up his meager lunch.

The boys surveyed the sad meal as they chomped on their own. They watched as Theon opened his small milk carton, put his salad in front of him and set a small bag of cashews with special care next to it all.

Damon swiped Theon's milk and guzzled it down. Crushing the carton, he let out a loud belch. Skinner stuck his unwashed hand into the salad,picking out everything but the lettuce. With a grin Alyn snatched up the bag of nuts and that is when Theon went crazy.

He snarled out, "Give that back!" The boys laughed and Alyn hardest of all as he dangled the package at the angry boy. Suddenly, Theon's chair crashed back and he climbed over the table at the shocked bully. "Alyn, give it back!" He growled out and snatched it from Alyn's hand. Leaped back to his side of the table, he held the package tight to his chest, growling still. Theon was baring his teeth at Alyn, his head slightly tilted.

Going fast from shocked to angry, Alyn tried to come to Theon's side of the table. "Don't you ever fucking grab something from me! I'll take those and then I am gonna shove them up your ass!" Theon's eyes widened and he gobbled the entire package in his mouth. The packet bugled his cheeks and now Damon stood up worried. "Okay, that is enough. Alyn, back the fuck up and Theon spit it out. You can choke on it, come on!"

The standoff remained for another moment until Ramsay came over to the table. He put his hand under Theon's mouth and said, "Out." Instantly, Theon let the wet cellophane package fall into Ramsay's palm. "Good boy. Thank you for protecting and watching my snack for me, Theon." Arching an eyebrow at Alyn, Ramsay asked, "Care to tell me why you were trying to steal my cashews, Alyn?"


	18. Getting Pets Off The Bed

**December 17**

Roose had dragged Ramsay and Theon to the Nutcracker with the Starks. Just in case that wasn't intolerable enough, the Lannisters were there as well. Ramsay was forced to sit with Robb on one side, Joff on the other. Sansa sat next to Joff and the two went between necking and arguing the whole time. Ramsay tried to see past Robb, where Jon was sitting next to Theon. He got tapped on the head by his father four times for straining past the curly headed fucker to see what Theon was up to with Jon.

Robb got annoyed and offered to switch seats with Ramsay if it would stop the annoying head bobbing and tapping. Then Ramsay was stuck sitting between Robb and Jon, causing Theon on the end to become nervous. He started pleading with Jon to let him change seats to sit next to Ramsay. Jon refused and Ramsay began to argue with him. Roose tapped Ramsay's head and Ned slapped Jon's for swearing at Ramsay.

By the time they got home all Ramsay wanted to do was go to sleep. He and Theon undressed, brushed their teeth and then Ramsay laid down. Theon stood there waiting, shifting from foot to foot, giving Ramsay pleading eyes. Ramsay waited until Theon started to give a tiny low pitched whimper before he patted the other side of his bed. Theon leaped onto the bed causing Ramsay to experience a mild earthquake. "Lay down and go to sleep." He muttered, rolling over and taking all the blankets with him.

Still annoyed over earlier and too tired to fight or punish, Ramsay settled for denying Theon any coverage or affection. "No spooning, no cuddling, no blankets. Just the pillow. Go to sleep, Theon." He stated coldly and ignored the small whine of "Yes, Ramsay. Good night." At first Ramsay paid no attention to the squirming and whimpering or the teeth chattering. Then he slowly felt his top blanket sliding away and he growled out, "Bad Theon. Go to sleep or you can go to the rug." An instant apology came and then silence.

Just the sound of Theon breathing, which started to creep closer and closer until the breathing was directly on Ramsay's neck, ruffling the hair. "THEON! Back to your side right now!" A sniff to let Ramsay know that Theon's feelings were hurt and then another round of stillness and quiet. A small rustling sound began then Ramsay felt his extra pillow slowly inch away. I just don't care anymore, I am too fucking tired, Ramsay thought to himself and began to drift off.

Then he shifted his head and felt something wet, soggy and there was the mild sound of sucking. Ramsay raised his head and turned over to see Theon wrapped around the pillow that was his, while also clutching and sucking on Ramsay's pillow. "Okay, that is it! Bad boy! Out of the bed right now!" Giving hurt puppy dog eyes that Ramsay glared at, Theon left the bed to lay on the floor.

A half hour later, Ramsay woke up to discover he was freezing cold. He saw his blankets on the floor next to a curled up, teeth chattering Theon who was sound asleep. The only part of him covered by the blankets were his hands that had apparently wound into them. As Ramsay watched, Theon started to sleepily suck on a corner of the blanket. Groaning, Ramsay took all the blankets that weren't being sucked on and wrapped up in them again. He dreamed that he was the Rat King, Jon was the Nutcracker and Theon was the Sugar Plum Princess.


	19. Protection Training

**December 18**

Ramsay was heading home late from school. He had to stay after for another fucking detention. Not that they ever did prove it was him that hid firecrackers in the teachers lounge, but they were pretty sure of it. Hence, more detentions and this time his father said he must actually attend them. He passed the dog park and saw Ben with the dogs, but no Theon. "Hey Ben! Where is Theon?" Shrugging Ben said, "He said he had too much homework today and would just go straight home. He got a ride from Joff, strange right?" Groaning, Ramsay jumped back into the car and sped towards home.

He parked in front of the Lannisters and went straight to the backyard where he could already hear Theon crying out in distress. Ramsay opened the gate to see Theon running about the yard, he had strings attached to his feet and hands with clattering cans on them. Joff was shooting a BB gun to make Theon panic and run so the cans would rattle crazily. Ramsay pistol whipped the blonde jerk then stood over the screaming boy. "What a fucking asshole you are, Joff. Luring him right off the street so you can torment him. Leave my Theon alone, he is mine and if you tease him again like that, I will do it to you and let's see if you find it funny then."

Theon sobbed while Ramsay removed the strings and cans then led him to the car. Clasping his narrow face between his hands, Ramsay asked, "Why did you go with him? Why didn't you stay with Ben or take the bus home?" Sniffing, Theon leaned his head on Ramsay's chest and mumbled, "Joff said he wanted to share a pizza with me and we would do homework together. He was going to order extra bacon pizza he said." Ramsay sighed and asked, "You just trust everyone, don't you? Poor stupid Theon. Get in the damned car."

Ramsay called the boys that night and had them help teach Theon a new rule. Skinner offered to take Theon to play a new PC game. When Theon eagerly agreed and jumped into Skinner's car, Ramsay was there. He pulled the boy out of the car, spanking his jean covered bottom with his father's belt. "Bad Theon!" Alyn offered Theon a bag of hot muffins and Ramsay leaped from under the bakery table like a nightmare. Another round of "Bad boy" and a flurry of whacks on his ass. The hardest test was when Damon offered Theon a slice of bacon pizza he has left over. He was offering it and the boy was actually drooling, whining, trembling. But Theon shook his head firmly, then walked away with his head down. Ramsay breathed a sigh of relief from behind the bushes.

The last day of Ramsay's detention, Joff again offered Theon a ride home and this time Theon declined. In fact, he snarled out his NO and then ran into the dog park. He decided it would be best to stay close to Ben until Ramsay could come pick him up. Ben never offered food or presents in exchange for anything. Ramsay was right, trusting anyone that Ramsay didn't choose was not a good idea. Ramsay was delighted to hear this and told Theon he was going to allow him to order his pizza. He told him this over the cell phone because he would be late for supper. It would be just Theon and Roose since Ramsay had already heard from Ben that Joff tried to pick up Theon. So he had to deal with the little fucker pounding for release in his trunk.


	20. Possessive Behaviour

** December 19 **

Myranda and Ramsay came stumbling into the dark bedroom. They felt their way to the bed and never noticed the lump that slid away. Slamming down onto the bed they started to rip off clothing, fueled by liquor and Roose being away. Just as Myranda began to ride Ramsay then stopped dead at a tiny whimper. Her eyes narrowed and she stared down at Ramsay who was trying not to laugh. Hissing like a cat, with her back arched. "You knew he was under the bed, didn't you?" Arching an eyebrow, Ramsay responded, "Actually, I didn't when we first entered the room. Because when I left him up here earlier, I put him into the bed."

With an outraged screech, Myranda scrambled off of Ramsay. "I fucking hate that and you know it. Just because I was really high that time and let you order him to please me, it was a one time thing! It was fun, it was great and hell, who knows whenever else you that sad fuck any sexual pleasure. But I don't want to ever do it again. It's creepy to me. And him laying under the bed, curled in the closet or anywhere in the fucking room is going to bother me! You need to make him leave the room when we have sex, okay?" "Why does it bother you so much? I mean fine, you don't have to ever have sex with him again. Not an issue, it was his birthday, ya know? But why do you care, he isn't actually watching. He is under the bed or in a closet. Once he laid in the corner hiding under four blankets."

Now Myranda shivered and said with disgust, he listens to us and masturbates, doesn't he?" Ramsay laughed and said, "Not ever once actually. Doesn't seem to be his thing really. I actually don't think he likes you much." Myranda sneered and said, "Oh really? I never would have fucking guessed that, Ramsay. I mean you had to give him a damned pill before he would have anything to do with me that night and he hasn't ever looked directly at me since. Or how about all those times I told you that he growled at me. Really soft so you couldn't hear, when you would look away he would bare his teeth at me! Or should I mention all those times he brought us stuff and accidentally spilled it on me? You said he was just clumsy, he was just panicky, but it was intentional! When he bit my toe?"

Ramsay sighed and said, "He is clumsy, I have never heard him growl at you once. He needed the pill because he is nervous and timid. And I can assure you, Theon is very clumsy and panics quickly. I have known him a lot longer than you, I know him better than anyone. I know him better than I know you. As for your damned toe which you just cannot get over...he was laying under your feet trying to nap. Theon gets nervous and excited at sudden movements. In his half asleep stupid mind, your toe was maybe danger or a damned shiny thing to steal and he bit at it. Theon apologized and I spanked him for it until he cried right in front of you. What more did you want me to do? I refuse to beat him or banish him for every imaginary slight that you see, Myranda. He is a good boy, he does what I tell him to do and it's my legs he leans on, not yours."

Dressing now, she spun around and turned on the light. "What the fuck is wrong with you two? Why does he need to be with you every fucking second, Ramsay? Why do you want him to act that way? He isn't a -" Ramsay groaned out, "Don't say it, not you too." Myranda screeched in utter rage and threw Ramsay's backpack at him. A small cry of fear came from under the bed as Ramsay grunted from being hit in the head with a hard bag. "Oh shut the hell up, stop yapping! Always whimpering, barking and when the fucking pizza shows up, he drools! Drools, Ramsay! Never mind how you pet his hair all the time. How you let him sit against your legs so he can nuzzle your damned leg. Or how about the hand feeding right in front of others. Bad enough you do it here but at Damon's party? With me as your date and Theon as your what? What would you call it, Ramsay? Is he your boyfriend, your foster brother or your pet?"

Before Myranda even saw it coming the backpack came flying back at her, knocking her flat. She heard soft growling coming from under the bed and then Ramsay was standing over her. His eyes were dangerous, they were icy cold and Myranda became scared of him for the first time. "What is Theon? I will tell you. He is mine and that is all you need to know. You either accept that or you go find another boyfriend who can understand your little fantasies and obsessions. Another guy around here who would enjoy even half of what you are really into. Let's see that would be my Boys and Joff, I think. You are way too low class for Joff, he doesn't date easy girls. And my Boys have all seen what you like to do and frankly, they don't like you anymore than Theon does. Make up your mind, Myranda".

Ramsay didn't even blink when she burst into tears, cursed at him and ran out the door with her clothes half in her arms. "Fuck you both! It is over this time. Hear me? Don't bother even looking at me ever again, you freaks!" Sighing, Ramsay waited until she slammed the door shut then he crouched beside the bed. "It is okay, Theon. She is gone, come on out." Theon slowly crawled out and heat butted Ramsay's chest. "Did you get scared by her?" Nodding against Ramsay's chest, he muttered, "I was afraid she was hurting you. I don't like how she treats you sometimes. Always pretending to be sweet then she screams or hurts you." Laughing, Ramsay got into the bed and said, "She tries to hurt me and I usually give back as good as I get." Ramsay patted the bed and ordered, "Up."

Theon leaped onto his side of the bed, but then tried to squirm towards Ramsay. "Oh fine. Get under the damned covers and stop the squirming. Here, dammit, stop the squirming I said!" Ramsay slammed Theon's against his chest and said, "Stay. Go to sleep." It was quiet for a moment then Theon whispered, "Don't worry, Ramsay. She never breaks up with you longer than a few weeks." Ramsay grinned and started to rub Theon's hair, something that always seems to soothe both of them. "I know that, stupid. There is another concert she wants to see coming up. Plus its Christmas season and she really wants something good for a present. In that fucking trailer park she lives in there won't be much for her. With six brothers and sisters, the parents don't have time for the slut of our school."

Theon winced and said, "Think of how you talk about her, it's like you don't really even care about her. So why go out with her, why give her presents and take her on dates? Why not just have sex with her every now and then instead? You are driving both of you crazy. It is driving me crazy too."  Ramsay sat up fast and pinned Theon underneath him. Crouching over Theon, Ramsay bared his teeth and his eyes held a wild challenge to them. He slowly lowered himself until his entire body covered Theon's. His nose was pressed against Theon's. His growl was deep and fierce, Theon was making tiny whimpering sounds and his hands were clutching at himself so scared he nearly pissed the bed. "Please? Sorry, Please?"

Ramsay spoke with his lips nearly touching Theon's. "I did not ask for your opinions, did I? I don't remember asking for your advice or giving you permission to offer it. You aren't part of my relationship with her. You are only mine, so you only have to worry about me, understand? Now I want you to shut your mouth and be a good boy." Ramsay finished his dominating by biting deep into Theon's lip until it bled. Then he flipped the limp, almost melting boy into the position he was in before.

Theon started to drift off laying half on Ramsay's chest when he heard Myranda creep back into the room. Ramsay was asleep and the girl was tiptoeing, looking for something on the floor. Softly, Theon growled at her and bared his teeth. Then he whispered, "The bra is hanging off the desk chair, now get out, he is asleep." Myranda sneered at him while snatching the bra. "Thanks, Theon. You know I might be a bit of a whore, but you are truly his bitch." Theon growled back at her, "I might be his bitch but I am not the one trying to call an Uber while wondering where my underwear is. Enjoy the shame walk into your mom and step daddy number five's trailer, whore."

It wasn't until Myranda left the house, until after the Uber picked her up and way after Theon had finally settled down to sleep. Only then did Ramsay open his eyes, then silently laughed over the exchange he heard. Patting Theon's hair made Ramsay calm back down and fall into sleep.


	21. A Good Dog Will Stay

** December 20 **

Sansa and Jon were just getting out of the car at the mall when Ramsay careened past them, spraying them both with cold dirty puddle water. "Asshole!" Screamed Sansa shaking a fist over her filthy coat. Jon seemed taken aback at the curse on her lips but just tried to dry off her coat with a small towel. Ramsay walked by whistling, dragging Theon in tow behind him. At least Theon tried to mutter an apology but Ramsay just dragged him faster. "Sorry about that Princess, ask rich daddy if he can buy you another prettier coat." Suggested Ramsay over his shoulder.

They crossed each others paths a few more times as both sets of kids were doing holiday shopping. Twice Ramsay grabbed an item that one of the Stark kids were going for. Once Ramsay suggested to a security guard that he thought Jon was shoplifting. Which was the only reason Ramsay managed to finish his shopping first. Great, he had bought a package of sugar he was hoping to pour into Jon's gas tank. Just as he started to drag Theon towards the cars, he remembered one gift he had not gotten. With a sigh, Ramsay looked longingly at the sugar and at Jon's car then pulled Theon next to the main doors. "See this wall, don't move from it." He snarled out, then snapped, "Don't put any of these bags down! I don't want to have them dirty. Stay."

Ramsay looked in two stores but found nothing he really wanted Theon to have from him. He saw many items that Theon has mentioned before or looked longingly at. But those weren't right either. A game that he knows Theon often plays over at the Starks house was on sale. Ramsay looked at it considering it, then he caught sight of the Starks out the plate glass window. They were standing in front of Theon with offerings of a hot drink and a warm car to wait in. Ramsay watched with satisfaction as Theon shook his head and blinked away cold tears driven from his eyes by the wind. Strolling into the perfect store, inspired now, Ramsay bought the perfect present.

When he came outside, he carried just his one black plastic bag and gestured to Theon. "Good boy, let's go." Ramsay grabbed the extra coffee from Jon's hand and said, "Hey, thanks buddy! Happy Holidays to you too. Bye Princess." He winked at the sullen redhead as he swigged from the container. "Ugh! What is this, some pretentious spicy thing!" Ramsay tossed the drink into a snowdrift and Theon only looked sadly at it melting into the dirty snow. "Put the bags in the car and maybe we can have some hot chocolate at home." Ramsay basked in the brilliant smile of Theon almost as much as he enjoyed watching Jon and Sansa's day ruined.


	22. Sneaky Dog

**December 21**

Theon was laying under the tree staring up at the colors twinkling in the stiff branches when he heard Ramsay come in. The other booming voices let him know the Boys were here with him. "Theon!" He saw Ramsay's sneakers appear in front of his face. "Did you finish all our homework?" "Yes, Ramsay."

"Well, get us some hot chocolate with whip cream and cherries on it. Plus the sprinkles, oh and set up a tray of those cookies that father brought home from the party last night." Ignoring the pleading eyes, Ramsay gave him a kick. "Don't you dare ask if you can impose upon my friends. No one wants to see you eating with your bad manners. You can have something later on if you behave. Now hurry, bring the stuff in here, we are going to play a new shooter that Alyn got."

Sullenly, Theon made and brought the drinks and snacks. He sat down next to Ramsay's leg and stared up at him soulfully. Ramsay ignored him completely and Theon put his head on Ramsay's leg. At one point Ramsay had a cookie in his hand and Theon started to lick it discreetly. Ramsay never even seemed to notice and so the next one he held in his hand, Theon tried to nibble. This was noticed and Ramsay slapped his nose lightly. "No. Bad boy." Theon moved away and rubbed his nose.

Skinner had put his mug down and it was right next to Theon, who was now laying curled on the rug. It was turning cool and sludgy, surely Skinner no longer wanted it. With a quick glance around to make sure no one saw him, Theon started to lap up the liquid, curling himself around the mug. "Hey, little fucker!" Hollered Skinner, kicking at Theon. Ramsay grabbed Theon by his hair and jerked hard on it. "Bad!" Dragging Theon by his curls, Ramsay threw him into the cold dark garage. "You can stay here by yourself until my company leaves!" He found himself alone and felt his way to the string for the bare bulb screwed into the ceiling. Rummaging, Theon found an old sleeping bag to curl up in. Better yet, he found a half full bag of cookies he had hidden a week before.


	23. A Curious Dog

**December 22**

Ramsay laid on the couch and turned on the television. He could hear fire engines and other sirens outside and turned the show up a bit louder. Theon came thudding down the steps and raced towards the door. "No outside." Ramsay warned and watched Theon skid to a halt. The boy ran to the bay window and peeked out through the curtains. "There is a fire engine in front of Lannister house! Now an ambulance is pulling up and a police car!" Theon yelled and Ramsay yawned. "I don't care." 

Theon ran into the dining room and stared out those windows while Ramsay began to text Damon. "Guess what? It looks like Tyrion is bleeding! His nose is all bloody and he is being put on a stretcher. He seems really drunk or something and I can hear him singing really loud all the way from here!" Ramsay called back, "Still don't care, Theon!" Next he heard Theon race up the stairs and into Ramsay's room. Then his voice came floating down, "Oh! Here comes the fireman with a hose, there is smoke coming from their house! Here comes Jaime and he looks drunk too!" Next came a crash and a thud before more footsteps to another location. "Theon! Stop breaking shit and calm down right now! Idiot!" "I picked it up and guess what I can see now, Ramsay?"

"Still not caring!" Ramsay yelled back and then Theon came thundering back downstairs to head for the kitchen windows. On his way down the stairs, Theon decided to just take a leap. He nearly smashed into the wall and Ramsay yelled at him. "THEON! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF? Calm down or stop looking out the windows." Theon carefully walked into the kitchen. Ramsay thought of how if Theon had a tail it would have been wagging wildly before but now would be between his legs. Satisfied that Theon will be quiet now, Ramsay went back to his texting.

"Oh, now Cersie is being dragged out by the policeman! Her hands are as bloody as Tyrion's face." Ramsay sang out, "I don't care enough to even bother telling you again that I don't care!" Theon ran back to the living room window and peered out and let out a loud gasp. "Cersie is half naked and trying to hit the police officer! Her left breast has blood on it!" Now Ramsay leaped up with his phone and knocked Theon out of the way. "Why didn't you say so?" Ramsay yelled while filming the half naked drunk woman for all of the internet to see. Twice Ramsay had to knock Theon's excited bouncing head out of his way but he managed to get the good stuff.


	24. Overexciting A Dog

**December 23**

Ramsay listened as his father gave a long lecture as he dragged him across the street to the Stark's house. Holding onto Theon's coat, to keep the idiot from running in front of a car, Ramsay found himself dragged forward absurdly both of them. "Theon! Slow the fuck down!" A hand smacked Ramsay's head. "Watch your filthy mouth while you are here. I mean it Ramsay. I don't want to be embarrassed by you at yet another function. Hell, Theon behaves outdoors better than you do! In fact, he gets along with the kids themselves, something you just can't seem to ever do. So why don't you follow his example tonight? Might do you some good!"

He stared aghast at the monstrosity of a tree in their living room. "Theon...plaid bows everywhere. Plaid, really? Right? Theon?" Ramsay turned and saw that Theon had ignored his order to "follow". The boy was so excited to be allowed here tonight, it made him sick. This tree only made him feel sicker and the merry sounds of caroling from the other room made Ramsay want to throw up on every plaid bow. Walking fast, Ramsay ignored everyone, searching out Theon. Sure enough, his little traitor was with Jon. That damned fancy asshole was putting a huge goofy grin on Theon's face with his dry wit and Ramsay wanted to shove the Christmas tree up Jon's ass.

Clearing his throat, Ramsay came out onto the balcony where they were nestled. He pushed between the two of them then hooked an arm over each. The one on Theon's shoulders was actually on his thin neck, squeezing in warning. The one on Jon's shoulder was digging into the nerves until Jon broke his hold. "Don't' touch me, Ramsay." Jon's eyes said so much more but he didn't dare fight at the party. His stepmother would murder him. Knowing this, Ramsay's own eyes turned gleeful and he prepared to taunt Jon for the remainder of the party. Then Theon had to start whining and rubbing his face against Ramsay's sweater. "Please? Don't fight with him. Please? It is a party, can't we have fun?" Just then Ramsay caught sight of his father glaring at him from inside and he grimaced.

"Sure we can, Theon. But I just don't want you to get too excited here then tire out when we get home. After all, its just two nights before Christmas and I might let you have an early gift." He said with a sly grin to Jon who instantly frowned. "Oh really? Ramsay? You got me a present? Wait..a present tonight and one more on Christmas?" Theon's eyes had gone all round and soft as he only focused on Ramsay and the wonderment of two presents. Jon rolled his eyes and then cleared his throat. He knew better, he knew he shouldn't stoop to Ramsay's level and yet he did. "Theon, I have a present for you under our tree here just like we always used to have. In fact, there is one under there from each of us,I think." Jon knows that at least he, Robb and Sansa bought Theon gifts. The boy gasped and looked at Jon with the same big eyes. "You guys got me presents too?"

Ramsay frowned then blurted out, "Presents from old friends are nice, Theon but I am already ordering a bacon pizza to be there nice and hot when you open your gift tonight. We can leave early so you can eat your pizza long before bedtime, okay?" Theon had spun himself dizzy between the two of them and the amazing generosity of both. "Ramsay? Pizza? Bacon pizza? Oh thank you! You are the best person ever." Theon had launched himself into Ramsay's chest, wrapping his arms around his waist. Ramsay stared triumphantly at Jon while he patted Theon's head. Jon despised how Ramsay treats Theon like a dog. He doesn't understand why Theon wants to act that way but he just can't stand it. So maybe that is why he just couldn't let it go. Sucking in a breath, Jon desperately announced, "I don't have bacon pizza, Theon. But I have a whole batch of fudge I just made and-" He broke off to see Theon turn slightly green while Ramsay glared. Oh yeah, Jon remembers what was in that horrid piece of fruit cake and changed his words fast. "Never mind. No fudge this year. Forget that. How about this instead?"

Jon winced as he lied and announced, "Somewhere in the living room is a special thing just for you. It is something you have really wanted for a very long time, Theon. Only you and I would know what it was. Go look."  Theon yanked himself away from Ramsay and started to hop from foot to foot, causing Ramsay to groan. "We both know you have nothing in there for him, Jon. I know a lie when I hear it." Ramsay said but Theon wasn't listening, he was already bouncing into the living room. "You had better get something in there for him to find fast." Ramsay warned, heading after the excited, bouncing Theon, who was feverishly searching the room. Recognizing this behavior, Roose glared again at Ramsay. "No. Not a scavenger hunt here, Ramsay."He said firmly and Ramsay shrugged. "I didn't cause this one, Jon did. Told Theon there was a special gift in here." Shutting his eyes briefly, Roose asked, "And there is not, is there?" With a  grin Ramsay said, "Nope."

Jon came speeding down the stairs with a game he had just purchased that he knew Theon would like. It was too late, Theon had seen a glimmer of an extra present that was just beneath a coffee table. It had been tossed there earlier by Ned accidentally. Theon saw it and dove onto the rug, crawling too fast and he smacked his head into the table hard enough to make everyone wince. Ramsay ran over and knelt next to the dazed boy. He stared hard at Jon and said, "I told you that unless you really hide a treat for him, its cruel to ask him to go on a scavenger hunt. You know how clumsy and overexcited he gets, Jon!" All eyes were on him, even his step mother's and Jon groaned.

"Father, I am taking Theon home now to make sure he gets some ice on this bump." Ramsay said sweetly to his grim father and helped his fuzzy boy stand up. Groaning, Theon clutched his head then Ramsay's sweater. "Do..Do I still get pizza?" He asked faintly as Ramsay helped him into his coat. "No, pizza is bad for head wounds." Ramsay said as he guided Theon into the icy air and across the street where he belonged. 


	25. Waiting For Your Master To Come Home

**December 24**

Domeric sniffed deeply and let the lovely smell of holiday candles fill his nostrils. He admired the crackling fire and the decorated tree. Theon was happy to see him even though Ramsay wasn't. When Domeric complimented Theon for doing such a nice job with making the house full of holiday cheer, Ramsay snorted. Theon had smiled widely but just said thank you and stayed near Ramsay. It bothered Domeric, this relationship Ramsay had with their foster brother.

And that is exactly what this poor boy was. A poor kid tossed out by his family, by his foster home and now he seems to be enslaved by Ramsay. Not exactly that, Domeric couldn't quite put his finger on it but it wasn't any type of regular relationship that seemed to be happening here. He tried to mention it to his father and was waved away. "They are fine, Domeric. Leave it be please. Having Theon here calms your brother down immensely. For once his school work is done and he isn't terrorizing the whole town."

He heard Ramsay yell at Theon, then a crash after a resounding slap. Running upstairs Domeric banged on Ramsay's door. When Ramsay yanked it open and stared angrily at Domeric, he almost backed down. "Are you hurting Theon?" "Theon! Am I hurting you?" Ramsay snarled to the figure laying on the rug, holding his cheek. Nearly in tears, Theon shook his head and Ramsay turned back to the door. "Thanks for your concern. Now fuck off." The door was slammed in his face and Domeric left, troubled.

Later on Domeric thought he finally would have his chance to speak with Theon about his concerns. Ramsay had told Theon he was going out with Alyn to watch a horror movie. Theon hates horror movies and is thrilled to skip it but seems distressed to have Ramsay leave him. "Will you come right back after?" Theon asked, rubbing his cheek along Ramsay's sweater. "I will be back in two hours. You should have remedial math skills to know how to count two hours, right? Good boy. Will you miss me?" Theon nodded and started to rub his whole head across the cashmere covered chest, causing Domeric the need to throw up. Ramsay touched the side of Theon's face that was mildly swollen."Be good. Stay inside, listen to father and wait for me. If you are very good then you can get one glass of soda and one handful of cookies in forty five minutes. Good boy, now stay."

Theon started to whimper a little as Ramsay left and he ran to the window to watch him drive away. Domeric had to coax him away from the windows when it became apparent Theon might wait his two hours right there. With real concern, Domeric tried to ask Theon about his relationship with Ramsay. However, Theon kept looking at the clock, fidgeting on the chair, trying to look out the window just in case Ramsay came back early. He also kept checking his cell to see if Ramsay sent him a text. Then Ramsay did start to send texts, small jokes and Domeric was losing the battle. "Theon! Pay attention this is important. I don't know if you understand what Ramsay is really like. DO you even understand how you are acting, what folks might think of you and your behavior with him?"

Tilting his head, Theon stared with confusion at Domeric. "What do you mean? Of course I know Ramsay and what he is like. I am not that stupid, but look he just is a bit of bully, has a temper to him. Nothing I can't handle, Domeric. Besides, I really really....think I love him. Stupid, right? But I do and I really enjoy being with him, he rarely ever hurts me only when I act up. Did you hear that, it might be him..." Theon never even noticed how horrified Domeric looked, he was too busy checking out the car on the street. His nose was pressed against the glass and he made another whimper sound. Domeric tried every approach he could think of and Theon just wasn't listening. In forty five minutes, Theon leaped up and got his snack. He enjoyed it while staring blankly at Domeric who just kept talking. Then Theon suddenly looked upwards and grinned. "He is coming home early! He is almost here!"

Domeric banged his fist on the counter in frustration but Theon didn't even jump. He was too busy running to the window and staring out, waiting. After a moment Domeric could hear the car and he wondered how Thoen could have heard it first. Ramsay came in and Theon leaped at him, reaching out with his grasping hands to clutch and curl around Ramsay and the sweater. With a very disgusted sigh, Domeric gave up. He saw the triumphant smirk on Ramsay's face and the gullible love on Theon's and gave up.


	26. A Special Present

**December 25**

Ramsay was having a splendid time. He and the boys just hunted down that fucking Cersie bitch. Her breasts were as naked and bloody as they were in those pictures he took of her the day she drunkenly beat up her dwarf brother. She tried to scratch their eyes out but they had pinned her down. Leering, they all joked about who would rape her first and who would get to skin her alive. Ramsay was looking at Damon who opened his mouth way too wide and joyfully boomed out "Feliz Navidad!"

"Theon! Shut that fucking alarm off. I don't care what day it is, I don't care if it's the fucking Rapture, let me sleep. Set it for later on." A short time later, Ramsay was back in dreamland, this time it wasn't a hunt. No this time they were flaying Jon Snow alive and it was glorious. All the way until Alyn leaned very close to Jon's head and the two of them started to croon "Silver Bells".

"Theon! Give me your phone right now. Now, I said!" Ramsay took it then threw it under his pillow after locking it. "No phone for two days, Theon. Now lay fuck down and get back to sleep. It is too early. Shut up. Sleep." Theon crawled onto the bed sadly and curled up near Ramsay. He stared at the broad back and then inched closer until his nose was burrowing into Ramsay's neck. "I swear I am going to kill you. Knock it off. Get to your side right now. Shut up. Sleep. I DON'T CARE IF IT IS THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!" 

Ramsay curled into himself and thrust his head under the covers, trying for one last dream before dealing with Christmas morning. Theon sighed, then he flipped himself over and over like a damned fish. Then he began to hum Little Drummer Boy while tapping his hands on the mattress. "Okay, that is it! Out! Floor now!" Ramsay kicked at Theon until the boy disappeared over the other side of the bed. "Shut up. Sleep." This time there was perfect silence but it was too quiet and Ramsay knew better.

He could actually feel Theon's head slowly rising inch by inch. He tried to ignore the feeling of being stared at and finally just opened his eyes. To encounter two huge eyes nearly touching his and he jerked backwards, with a screech. "THEON! FINE, FOR THE LOVE OF...FINE! YOU WIN! GET YOUR ASS DOWNSTAIRS AND MAKE MY BREAKFAST. I WANT WAFFLES AND YOU WILL WAIT TO HEAT THE GRIDDLE, MAKE THE DAMNED THINGS THEN WATCH ME SLOWLY EAT THEM BEFORE YOU EVER SEE A PRESENT! UNDERSTAND ME? GO!"

Roose walked into the kitchen to see Ramsay slowly, way too slowly eating a plateful of waffles, half asleep. Theon was dancing from foot to foot, wringing his hands into his pajama top. Shaking his head slowly, Roose said, "Merry Christmas boys. Ramsay, you are clearly too tired to really be hungry. Stop tormenting the boy and let's go into the living room. I have spent a considerable amount of time and money for your presents and at least you could be kind enough to open them. Ah, here comes Domeric. Just in time too. Let us all go and open gifts."

Theon was overjoyed and touched to see how many presents were there just for him. Domeric's gifts were a bit strange, books on empowerment and a certificate for a karate course. Ramsay took those from him fast and urged him to open something else. The presents from Roose were wonderful. Two games that Theon really enjoyed and a whole comic books series he wanted to read. New clothing for the winter and in a small stocking was his favorite kind of chocolate. He was busy thanking Roose wholeheartedly when Ramsay snapped his fingers for attention. Theon turned to look at Ramsay instantly

"This is from me, Theon." Ramsay watched with a smirk of anticipation as Theon carefully began to unwrap the lovely silver paper and then moved the pink tissue paper. His brow furrowed for a moment then he held the two items up, letting the box and tissue paper fall to his lap. "Ramsay? Wh..what is this?" Roose covered his eyes and groaned while Domeric cursed in actual anger. "It is the perfect present for you, Theon. I thought long and hard on it. After all, everyone keeps accusing you of being my dog. And you do act like one so why not? I really tried to get one that would be soft on your neck, but I ended up having Ben sew padding into the collar so it won't irritate your skin." Ramsay blinked and watched as Theon ran sobbing out of the room.

"That was the cruelest joke I think you ever played." Sneered Domeric as Ramsay swept up the leash and dog collar, ignoring his brother. He walked out of the room in pursuit of Theon. Roose looked at Domeric and said, "I actually don't think it was a joke at all. Son, get me another coffee and make sure it contains something stronger than just coffee please."

Ramsay found Theon hiding under the bed, sobbing. "Why are you so upset?" Asked Ramsay, honestly confused by how hurt Theon seemed. "You think I am a dog! Not a person, Ramsay, you see me as some mangy mutt, some loyal bitch just like Myranda said. Just like they all say at school and now you can really prove it to them." As Ramsay sat, trying to peek under to fully see Theon in the darkness under the bed, Theon shook his head. In a tiny voice, he spoke and the voice was timid but it still scared Ramsay a little. "No, Ramsay. I won't wear that for you. I won't be your dog for all the world to see."

"I don't like it when you say no to me, Theon. Now you are just being ungrateful and I don't like it. Come here right now." Ramsay was sounding like his father when he was forcing him to do shit he hated to do. It didn't work and when Ramsay lost patience and started to drag Theon out, the boy started to kick and hit at him. "No! Ramsay, no! I won't! Stop it!" Ramsay dragged Theon fully out and then wrestled the boy down to the ground. Pinning him with his body, Ramsay wrapped the collar around the thin neck. "Stop struggling or it might catch in your skin." Ramsay warned and Theon went still, whimpering. "Stop, please don't do this, Ramsay. I..I thought you liked me, really wanted to be with me in some fucked up way. But this it too fucked up, okay? Please stop the joke now, okay? I won't be bad all day, I promise, just please stop!" 

Ramsay attached the leash to the collar and then started petting Theon's head. "Don't panic, Theon. It won't hurt, its just a collar and leash. It is meant to be a good thing, it is just a way to keep you safe. You are so special to me, I can't stand the idea of you getting hurt or lost because you weren't kept safe by me. Joff won't come after you, no one will, they will see the collar and know who you belong to. Don't freak over the leash, I doubt father will let me use it with you away from the house much. Stop crying and listen to me. I want to show you something but I need you to be calm. I have one more gift for you. So are you ready to behave for me? Ready to be a good boy and kneel for me?" Sniffing, Theon nodded and he slowly got to his knees. He started to cry again when he felt the collar on his neck with trembling fingers.

"Look at this! I wrote this for you after we got home from the mall where I bought the leash and collar for you." Theon took the paper that Ramsay thrust at him. It was a note from Ramsay.

_I, Ramsay Bolton promise to always keep you safe, sheltered, cared for and loved. You, Theon Greyjoy promise to always obey me, be my loyal and loving pet. We will never be parted. We need each other in a way that others do not understand but we do. We are unwanted by everyone but each other. I love you and refuse to ever see you as anything but my most beloved pet. You will love me and see me as your loving Master._

Theon saw at the bottom there was a line for two signatures and Ramsay's was already written there with a flourish. "Now write yours, Theon."

He ran his fingers underneath the collar and fidgeted then the tears filled his eyes again. "You...you love me? You always want me, always and you won't really make me wear the leash in public?" Ramsay smiled and nodded. "That's right, pet. I already know that you love me and face it, you really do have some doggie behaviors. But I love that, I find it adorable and submissive. That is perfect for you, perfect for me. You'll never regret trusting me, Theon. Come here, good boy." Ramsay wrapped his doggie in his arms and snickered when Theon poked his nose up under his chin. "This is a really good but really strange and scary Christmas, Ramsay." Theon whimpered and Ramsay gave a tiny tug on the leash. "Master. Call me Master, Theon. At least when we are not in public. And don't be scared, puppy, I will keep you safe."


	27. Boys Walking Their Dogs

** Epilogue **

Domeric stood in the doorway and glared at Ramsay who pretended an extreme interest in his breakfast. "Where are my things, Ramsay? I am missing the new slippers my girlfriend gave me! I left them right in the hallway and they are gone! Or how about my new reading glasses! I just bought them the day before Christmas and I have left them on that side table before. Now they are just gone! Why are you driving me crazy?" Roose intervened and snapped, "No more scavenger hunts, Ramsay! Take the boy outside somewhere, anywhere! Or I swear he will spend the rest of this Christmas vacation with the Starks!"

Ramsay gave a sly grin as both his father and brother winced from a crash upstairs. "He must have tried to check the attic. I forgot to tell him about the broken ladder. Sorry. Now, if I take him out...can I bring his leash and take him to the dog park?" Roose slumped in defeat and nodded. "Fine, yes. Just take him out." Domeric threw down his hands and yelled, "What is wrong with all of you? Its not normal to act like this. Father, you can't keep allowing this." Tiredly, Roose looked up and said, "Maybe its time for you to return to school, Domeric. I am stuck having to hear your brother bitch all the time, but I really don't have to listen to you anymore. So please, either shut your mouth or pack and leave. I love you, son, but you are becoming a real prude."

Domeric sat down heavily and gave his father a very hurt and sullen look. Ramsay hollered up the staircase, "Theon! Want to go to the park?" Roose winced as he heard Theon crashing towards the staircase, babbling about yes and a broken ladder and duct tape. "Hush! I don't care. Stay still, I want to hook your leash on. What do you mean no? Yes! No, father gave permission, so want to shut the fuck up? Better. Good boy. No, don't pull or we won't go at all. I mean it, you don't run until I take the leash off inside the park. Got it? Good. Let's go. I SAID TO NOT RUN! Better, good boy."

At the dog park, Ben was there with his pack of pit-bulls. Robb was standing next to Jon while their dogs ran in circles, snapping at the cold air. Ramsay walked forward and Theon stayed right next to him, even if his head swiveled everywhere. Only after Ramsay released the leash did Theon move away and ran into the happy group of dogs. He got a hold of a tennis ball and thew it. Every dog was his now and Ramsay watched with a smile. Not a single one of the boys commented on Theon's collar or leash. Not one of them seemed a bit surprised that Ramsay treated Theon like a dog. After all, they watched it coming for twenty five days.


	28. Some Celebrations Are Not For Dogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WitchesBrew suggested for a little New Year's Treat. After all, Ramsay DID promise to take Theon to those New Year's Eve fireworks, didn't he?  
> So here is another one or two chapters to finish our holidays off with a bang.

To say the Boltons were prideful was like saying the Starks were humble. It was the truth in such perfection on both ends it was dizzying. Being Theon caught in the middle meant he simply ignored the quality in each. Which meant that regardless if it is kindness or a leash, Theon might not pay attention to either side.

It was well known that he was...clumsy somehow..it was dazzling how he could play sports with precision then knock himself out cold on a wall. Easily excitable and prone to panics that seem to stem from childhood, it was a concern. Theon has a larger log with the police than almost any delinquent in town. Except Theon's all were for search and rescues. When he was taken from the Greyjoys, it was assumed that would end. After the Starks gave up and the Boltons took charge, it was definitely assumed this would end. And to a large part it has. Mostly.

It was a bad idea, Ramsay already knew that. But he told Theon he would take him and so he would. "I could take him with me to the balcony of the Lannisters? He can watch it all safely from there, Ramsay. It would be a lot safer, don't you think?" His father was right but all Ramsay saw was his pet stuffed into a suit, among pawing old people. "No, he is going to watch the celebration with me. I told him so already."

Domeric pleaded with him. "Ramsay, it is such a bad, bad idea! Look, he doesn't do well with loud noises, we all know that! Just leave him home, he only thinks he wants to go. Theon forgets things fast, you should remind him how he felt about the fireworks before Christmas." His older brother was right and Ramsay told him to fuck himself. "I already told him he could go and besides, it's funny to watch him freak out a little." He responded offhand, then biting his lip. Yes, but..that was at the lake. It was a contained area with a few stores, dirt roads and a parking lot.

This year it was changed around for New Years. All the festivities would be downtown to accommodate the large shimmery ball that must drop. It was Westeros's tacky way of competing with larger areas. When Ramsay had promised Theon about New Year's he hadn't realized where they would be held. But Theon really does have a short attention span and he has already wiped his mind of the latest scary thing. It was a strange trick his pet had but Ramsay normally didn't mind it so much.

Even his own friends thought it was a terrible idea. "Ramsay, remember when we took him with us downtown and he got his leg caught in a sewer grate?" Ramsay glared at Damon and sneered, "Because no one was watching him!" Skinner scratched his ear and said, "Nah, we weren't watching him because YOU were next to him, remember? The fucking asshole parking nearby honked his horn and Theon skydived into the sewer." Ramsay lifted his chin and said firmly, "He goes. I am bringing his leash so there won't be any issue this time." No one believed him and Ramsay didn't believe himself.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, RAMSAY?" Sighing, Ramsay leaned his head against the rack of earplugs. Ben said that at least get Theon sound mufflers so he won't freak out. He was worried enough that he was willing to concede on this and buy the fucking things. Now here were the Stark brothers to ruin the rest of his day.

Swiftly, he pulled his hand back knowing he won't be buying them now. Not in front of these two cocksuckers. "Ah, its the Righteous Brothers. Pray tell, what wrong are we righting today, Sirs?" They seem to bristle further at Ramsay's large smile. "Lower your voice, Robb." Jon cautioned and then turned back to Ramsay.

"You aren't really taking Theon downtown tonight, are you? I mean, you know how dangerous that would be for him! We told you all about the times we tried to take him in crowds or around loud sounds!" Jon was trying to sound reasonable and not desperate to choke Ramsay. "I am going to have him wear his leash and my boys will be all around him. Stop worrying about MY Theon!"

Normally, Ramsay would enjoy taunting the two further but he was now even more defeated inside. He couldn't even use earplugs now, these two would know he made a mistake and knew it. Fuck that. Trying to turn away, Robb bellowed again. Turning fast, Ramsay warned, "If you yell like that again, I swear I will shove this bag of Depends into your fucking mouth." 

"You KNOW Theon will get hurt, you KNOW he is going to panic. Do you want him to panic because you think it's funny or because you really want to see him hurt? Because it could be fatal this time..one of these times, it really could be." Ramsay stared at Robb and took a step closer. "You are a downer, Father Time. Yes, we all die someday...true. But Theon will be safe and will not die while he is with me. Now get out of my way or I am going to-"

Suddenly, Alyn's voice came drifting through the drugstore. "Uh...Ramsay? I got a small problem out here! I need to get the blowtorch out of your trunk. The one I told you to just leave in there so it's easier for shit like this? Yeah, well...Theon's head is stuck in the bike rack."  

 


	29. Catching Panicked Dogs

"Pay attention!" Ramsay barked out and Theon focused. "Maybe I should have started letting you take those ADHD pills the doctor gave you." He mused then shook his head. "What do I want tonight from you?" Theon grinned and started to hop from foot to foot. "Stay on the leash, don't pull on it. When you tell me to come or stay I have to do it. I know my rules, Ramsay, don't worry! I am just really excited because even the Starks wouldn't ever take me before and-"

Ramsay slapped a hand over his pet's babbling mouth and snarled out, "Stop yapping. Hush! Listen, I want to talk about one more thing. If something startles or scares you tonight...like the fireworks if they are too loud, you DO NOT RUN! You can just hide in my jacket until they end, okay?" Theon nods eagerly and Ramsay wants to hit him for lying. Then maybe hit himself too.

As Ramsay held tightly to the leash, leading Theon through the crowds, he kept his eyes scanning pitfalls. There was a pot hole, designed to yank Theon into it's depths. Here was a marching band, ready for stampeding over a wandering Theon. Drunk folks singing fighting songs that would see Theon and probably mistake him for punching bag.

Dark alleyways meant to lure a curious but stupid Theon into the clutches of rapists and murderers. Every vehicle there was waiting to smear a racing Theon onto the blacktop. Theon was kept within a tight circle of flesh, closer than he has ever wished to be to the boys. He had to crane over shoulders and duck beneath swinging arms to see things around him. "Ramsay! Ramsay! I want to get a pretzel! Please? Ramsay! There is a magician over there, can we watch, please?"

Grimly, Ramsay kept tugging on the leash, looking for a safe place. There really wasn't one and his friends started to complain. "Man, I didn't come all the way out here just to circle everything like a fucking elderly speed-walker! I want to party, not find shelter for your dog, who should have been left home!" Skinner whined. "Alright you are such a baby, Skinner! Fine!"

Things went well for the next hour or so. Theon did stay next to Ramsay even though he dragged him to the worst displays. Ramsay made Theon kneel under the little table when he and his pals hit the outdoor cafe. Theon leaning against his leg made Ramsay feel safer. He had control of his pet and this night would go just fine. He felt so good about his decision being right, that Ramsay even bought Theon a hot chocolate of his own.

When the ball dropped, Theon wrapped himself around Ramsay and kissed him full on the mouth. This startled Ramsay enough that he responded and forgot all about what came next. The first resounding bang had Theon climbing Ramsay like a tree. "Oh fuck, here we go!" Groaned Damon but Ramsay had the leash in a firm grip. What should have come next was a strangling sound and Theon's weight landing on him. That isn't what happened at all. Instead Ramsay stared stupidly at the broken leash dangling in his hand.   

The fireworks echoed above and Theon was in a blind panic. Without seeing, he ran, weaving his way through the crowds.  He has no idea that Ramsay and the boys are chasing him, screaming his name. All Theon hears is banging, booming doom coming and he is the first to be getting the fuck out of the apocalypse.

He collided into Joff Lannister and Sansa Stark, knocking their hot cider all over themselves. "Theon, No! Stop!" Sansa tried to reach out but it was already too late. Damon came barreling up next and Joff screeched, "You let the dog off it's leash to do that on purpose!" With a sigh, Damon saw Sandor pop up and over him grinning. Ramsay ran past the fighting giants, chasing after Theon's trail.

Sansa watched Alyn and Skinner go by as she texted Robb and Jon. "Theon is off leash." Robb and Jon started to leap about like demented loons hoping to catch sight of their panicked friend. And as expected, he was heading straight for the pothole. Flying forth, the brothers got there just in time, spreading their arms and legs out, blocking him.

They have learned from experience to never try and catch him, just block from danger. He will turn on his own. It worked and with a strange whining sound, Theon darted another direction, towards the busier part of the sidewalks. Myranda saw Theon coming and ran over to Hot Pie, the tuba player in the waiting marching band. "I will blow you after this, if you blow that tuba hard right now. Loud as you can."

Without a single thought of hesitation, Hot Pie obeyed and it was as Theon was passing him. For one awful second, Myranda thought she had actually killed him. Theon had gone still and gray, then he whooped in a breath, his arms flung into the air and he launched another direction. She laughed so hard that pee came down her leg and she sunk to the ground, uncaring at all.

Ramsay flew by, growling out that he would see her about that later. Fuck him, Myranda was going to move on. To some other boy who doesn't value his dog over his girlfriend. And that sight of Theon flipping out was going to be worth sucking this fat boy off later. She set off on another round of laughter.

Alyn was running behind the food carts, hoping to cut Theon off and Ramsay was seconds from his fingertips touching Theon's floating jacket. Leaping out, Alyn smashed into Ramasy bringing them both down into a damned clown with way too many fucking balloons that wrapped around the two boys like a cheerful demented web.

Skinny laughed and leaped over them, still on Theon's trail, along with Robb and Jon. Domeric was enjoying a glass of wine with the Tyrells when he saw Theon go flying by outside of the window. A moment later he was in the line of folks chasing Theon. 

Roose watched numbly from the balcony along with the Starks and Lannisters at the chaos below threading its way towards the street blockades. "This is why I had to give Theon up..too many things like this. Though we at least had the common sense not to allow him to be in crowds like this, with fireworks to set him off." Sniffed Cat, thoroughly enjoying rubbing it in Roose's face.

Primly, Cersie leaned over and commented, "Knowing how you raise your brood, I am surprised that you allow your oldest children to join in festivities. I assume that your younger children are at home with a strict nanny telling them how hard things were and will be again. Just so they can have the proper dour outlook for the next year."

Clearing his throat, Roose dryly spoke. "Remember how your own children have acted towards a first new pet. Joff's first pet died within a week, I believe. Robb and Jon lost their dogs four times plus caused countless flea infestations. Ramsay has a new pet, it is his very first. Give him time." Everyone stared at him but no one actually dared to say a word, wanting to pretend that they heard that wrong. Besides, things were looking worse on the ground below. "Oh no..." Ned groaned as he dialed the police below.

Skinner and Robb tried to get on either side of Theon as he headed towards the blockades. Jon was running along side the panicked Theon trying to catch his attention. "Don't fucking talk to him now! Just grab him! Tackle him!" Huffed Skinner and Robb screamed agreement. "Jon! Stop him, come on, he can't hear you right now!"

Jon reached out and tentatively touched Theon's jacket sleeve. The boy screeched and bolted in a further panic straight across the barricades, into the street. Dodging cars, he stood on the yellow line, whimpering. All three boys stood there, afraid to cross and set Theon off to the other side of the busy street full of drunken revelers.

Just then Ramsay came limping up and held his breath, looking at his pet. Theon was starting to see where he was and he was sobbing now. Too scared to move but too scared to stay where he was. As a police man received a call from the mayor and began to halt traffic, carefully keeping his distance from the panicked figure.

Ramsay began to very slowly cross over towards his pet, calling out softly, "Hey, Theon, it's okay. Master is here, stay there and let me come get you. Good boy, best boy ever, just stay right there." But a car honked and Theon jumped, screaming. Ramsay ripped open his jacket and called out, "Theon! Look! I am wearing your favorite sweater! Stay and be good, I will let you snuggle it all the way home. All night if you want, you can rub all over it, I swear it."

Cutting through the panic, making Theon tilt his head and look, he muttered, "S..sweater? THE sweater?" He started to whine as cars were moved around him but Ramsay spoke. "Yes, that special sweater, see? Let me come to you and I will let you lean against it. All night you can have it...stay right there for me..good boy. See? Here I come and look, your favorite sweater ready for you to snuggle against."

Ramsay cooed sweetly until he was finally in front of Theon. The boy sobbed against the sweater and Ramsay wrapped his arms around his pet tightly. "You are never going to a fireworks party ever again." Rubbing against the soft warm cloth, feeling safe in his Master's arms, Theon mumbled, "Yes Master."

Later that night Ramsay endured a humiliating pants down, belt strap flying hard spanking from his father while Domeric watched, triumphant. Even the pain of a beating that will prevent him from sitting on a chair for days..even knowing that his older smug brother will go back to school with that image in his brain, didn't bother him that much. Ramsay was content deep inside knowing that his pet was safely back home. Curled up in Ramsay's sweater, locked in a dog cage down in the basement.


	30. Table Manners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is dedicated to WitchesBrew and Arkenstone. Perhaps the voodoo dolls worked or it could be that the picture for this was just wonderful enough to spark my imagination!

Domeric had noticed the night before that every time a commercial or scene on the television showed pizza, Theon drooled. He also noted that every time the screen showed Italian food of any kind, Theon stared and licked his lips. Since he had another few days left before heading back to school, Domeric thought to be nice. Since he lived in a small studio apartment near the University he attended, he had been taking cooking classes as to not live on cheese sandwiches. His specialty happened to be Italian sauce and he decided to cook it for their dinner. Waiting until Ramsay dragged Theon out of the door to visit Ben, Domeric started pulling out ingredients.

As he chopped garlic and onions, browned pork and made meatballs, Domeric hummed. He was envisioning how happy Theon would be to have such a dinner! His father emerged from his study and said, "That smells wonderful! Is that for dinner tonight?" Not understanding why his father doesn't look happy about it, Domeric nodded. "Seems that Theon gets excited over Italian food. I thought he might enjoy sampling mine tonight."

Roose sighed and said, "I appreciate you cooking dinner for us but I really wish you would stop trying to curry favor or interfere with Theon. Ramsay would give him this type of food more often if he felt he should have it. I am sure he has his reasons. Maybe you should at least talk with your brother before doing things that affect his pet." Domeric gritted his teeth and insisted, "Theon is not a pet! He is a human boy."

Roose arched his brow and asked blandly, "Have you ever seen Theon act like anything else?" Domeric ignored his father and grimly went back to his cooking. Just then the door slammed open, sending gusts of snow in along with two stomping boys. As soon as Theon entered the room, his nose twitched and his eyes widened. Ramsay groaned and stared at his father. "You didn't!" Roose tilted his head towards Domeric who was smiling at Theon's growing excitement. "Your brother was trying to be nice and share his recent culinary skills with us."

Ramsay snarled out, "And he only learned Italian?" Domeric stared coldly at Ramsay and said, "Well, I am glad that at least Theon will be grateful for my food." That is when Theon began to babble and lunge forward towards the hot pans. Ramsay grabbed the end of his scarf, nearly strangling him. "No! Upstairs, right now!"

Domeric watched in outrage as Ramsay dragged the protesting, babbling boy up the stairs. "Don't worry, Ramsay will allow him to eat your dinner." Roose had assured Domeric. "Just don't interfere with Ramsay's training process. He knows what is best for the boy." So Domeric continued to cook and hold his tongue.

Then a bit later as Domeric was boiling the pasta, sauce simmering with freshly added Romano cheese, Theon showed up. Domeric had heard the boy's clattering down the stairs, then nothing. He watched amused as Theon's head half poked around the door-frame. He could see Theon's huge eyes and the riotous curls. It unnerved Domeric how puppy-like it was and he shook his head, frowning. "Too silly, Theon. Why don't you come in and keep me company? When it is very close to being done you can help me out, okay?"

The eyes suddenly got brighter and more excited. Strangely the boy's voice sounded muffled. "Was that an invite into the kitchen? Ramsay said I can only come into the kitchen if I am invited there." Feeling a bitter indignation to be forced into Ramsay's games, Domeric said, "Yes, Theon. I invite you inside the kitchen to visit and help me."

With a small cry of joy, Theon bounded into the room. He nearly slid into the wall before Domeric caught him and plopped the boy into a chair. "Thank you." Theon said and promptly sat on his hands. Before Domeric could comment on that behavior, he caught sight of the rest of Theon's face. He stared aghast at the wire covered basket on Theon's lower face.

"Did Ramsay make you wear that to come downstairs?" Turning red, Theon lowered his eyes and nodded. "If I want to eat my dinner tonight I have to follow the rules. I have to sit on my hands and wear my muzzle until Ramsay puts down my plate and gives permission." Theon looked back up and frantically begged of the angry Domeric, "If you fight with him, I won't get to stay down here until dinner. Please?"

Nodding, Domeric took a deep breath and started to check the pasta again. "Almost done. Sauce is already done, I added pork and meatballs." He noted that Theon was whining softly now and his feet pattered against the tile. "So much excitement for a little food? Well, maybe you can help me out? That way you are kept busy and won't be so much nervous energy." Theon gave an adoring glance at Domeric but then cast his eyes towards the doorway. "I..I have to ask. Ramsay said I could sit on my hands and wear my muzzle."

Domeric leaned close and whispered, "It can be our secret. He will never know. It is alright to break a little rule and have some fun sometimes, isn't it?" Theon tilted his head and gave a small whine. He pulled his hands out from underneath himself and wrung them together. "I will let you taste test the sauce?" Theon gasped and leaped up. "Really? Okay, a secret then! Yes, let me help, please?"

When Domeric released the muzzle from Theon's face, it was somehow like opening Pandora's Box, though Domeric couldn't even say how. First he gave the boy a block of hard cheese and a grater. A simple enough task to grate cheese into a large bowl, but Theon was too busy babbling to pay attention. At first Domeric thought it was cute, then it became irritating. Theon was babbling about every type of food he liked, why he liked them and where each food came from. Then he delved into the regions the food originated in.

Domeric strained the pasta then finally turned to look at Theon. Then nearly screamed in horror. The grated cheese was in a light pink mound on the bowl as Theon was absentmindedly grating his hand along with the cheese. "Theon! Stop! Look at your hand!" He nearly hollered yanking the grater away.

Ramsay's door opened from upstairs and his voice floated down. "THEON? ARE YOU CAUSING TROUBLE?" Theon stared in fear towards Domeric, who then called up, "No! He is perfectly fine, Ramsay. I knocked something over and I didn't want it to land on him." Ramsay was silent for a moment then warned, "Be careful with him, Domeric. Theon knows his rules but he isn't fully trained yet." A slam of the door and both of them could breath again. Domeric quickly bandaged Theon's hand and wondered how he would explain it to Ramsay later on.

"How about you set the table for me?" Theon nodded eagerly and ran to get the plates. In between putting some sauce on the pasta and grating new cheese, Domeric chased Theon. The boy grabbed way too many plates, glasses and silverware, then seemed to trip his way to the table. Thank goodness that Domeric was so athletic, because otherwise most of the china would be smashed on the floor.

Once the table was set, Domeric asked Theon to get the bread and butter ready. This was a mistake. Theon managed to drop a smear of butter on the floor, announce it but then couldn't locate it to clean it. Domeric told Theon not to worry about it and just get the bread on the counter. It didn't occur to Domeric that the bread was right next to the large pan of sauce. Theon grabbed the bread, then sniffed deeply and the bread went flying.

With horror, Domeric saw Theon grab the wooden spoon dip it into the steaming sauce and try to stick it into his mouth. Before Domeric could warn Theon of how the sauce has been simmering for four hours on the back burner. Theon shrieked and the spoon full of hot sauce went flying too. Sauce spattered on the ceiling, cabinets and when the spoon landed on the floor with a clatter, more sauce splattered. Red streaks and dots appeared on the table legs and walls. And of course, across the floor.

This time when Ramsay's door opened, his voice was closer, at the top of the staircase. "THEON! WAS THAT YOU? DID YOU HURT YOURSELF? DO I NEED TO COME DOWN THERE?" Domeric frantically stared at Theon who stared back, in tears now. "UH..still just me, Ramsay! Poor guy was just sitting here when I burned myself. He felt so bad for me he yelled." Ramsay gave a longer moment of silence before his door slammed shut. "Okay, tell you what. While I set up the stuff to bring to the table, why don't you see if you can clean up this mess, okay?" Domeric spoke very calmly, but he was near tears himself at this point.

Theon nodded and grabbed rags, a spray bottle and paper towels. He turned the tiles a soapy pink in huge greasy figure eights and Domeric sighed. "Know what? Let me finish that too. Look, I have a huge bowl of spaghetti and meatballs all ready for us to eat! Why don't you tell my father and Ramsay that dinner is ready in five minutes. That should give me enough time to clean up the worst of this mess."

Theon held onto one of the rags and stood up, letting Domeric start to clean up. Then he started to inch closer and closer to the large bowl of pasta. He sniffed deeply then wiped his mouth once...twice. Twisting his hands, wanting badly to just taste it, just a bit, he began to lean closer to it with his tongue. Domeric looked up just in time. "HEY! NO! We do not lick our food, Theon!" Domeric snapped and that is when Theon grabbed the whole bowl, lifting it.

He sniffed so hard that Domeric swore he saw some pasta go up the boy's nostril. "Dammit, no!" He yelled, out of patience and stood fast, holding the table. His hand whacked into the new bowl of grated cheese and it flipped. The bowl broke and grating cheese was now spread out over the sauce stained tiles.

Now two doors opened and footsteps came down the stairs. Theon went into a delirium of fear of his Master seeing him misbehaving and the need for the food. He whined and started to run towards Ramsay with the large bowl of spaghetti. "Master, sorry, Domeric said I could, its a treat, a secret, I am sorry, I am so hungry and I helped him, I helped set up and taste test but I got burned and got grated and I am sorry but look I have pasta and can I still have some, I know I took off my muzzle but please-"

Ramsay tried to halt his pet by putting out his arms but it did no good. Theon attempted to stop and slid on that missing bit of butter. He slid straight into Ramsay who found himself on the ground wearing both the pasta and Theon. Domeric looked at his father who was staring at the mess all over his kitchen. Then at Ramsay on the floor, Theon climbing all over him. There was pasta and meatballs in Ramsay's hair and sauce all over his face.

Never one to pass up an opportunity and sensing this might be his only taste of Domeric's cooking ever again, Theon started to lick the sauce off Ramsay's cheek. As Ramsay tried to push Theon away with little to no success, he stared at his brother coldly. "This is exactly why Theon isn't allowed Italian food unsupervised. This is exactly why he sits on his hands and wears his muzzle when around things that excite him too much."

Roose sighed and began to remove his belt. "Domeric, it appears you are mature enough to cook a meal and live on your own with your own opinions. But you are not mature enough to not abuse the privilege of playing with another persons pet. I warned you and you had a little rebellion of your own. Well, if you act like a kid..."

Domeric was flinching from his father's belt but at least he could take mild joy from watching Theon clinging like a monkey to Ramsay, eating his dinner off him. "Theon! Stop it! Hey, yuck! I am ordering you to stop or you'll wear that fucking muzzle for a week! THEON!"


	31. The Rebellion Stage Part 1

"BOYS! ALL OF YOU DOWN HERE NOW, PLEASE!" Roose's voice floated through the upstairs and two doors opened. Domeric and Ramsay glared at each other. "What did you do?" Hissed Domeric as he headed for the staircase as Ramsay snapped his fingers. Theon leaped out of the room and nearly collided into Ramsay.

"Hey! Bad boy! Walk nicely. Were you bad today? Did you do something father will be angry about?" Theon shook his head and babbled, "I didn't bury anything outside today and I only was with you and except for when I was Ben and-" Ramsay gave his pet a sharp quick slap then growled out, "Hush! No babbling. I want a good boy, not a bad one! You have to behave for father."

Domeric suddenly grabbed Ramsay's shoulder. "Stop hitting him or I might hit you! I am trying to tolerate this shit, but you are taking it too far. Do not hit him!"  Theon whimpered and wrung his hands together. Ramsay slowly turned to look at the hand then up at the pale but angry older brother.

"Get your fucking hand off of my shoulder or I'll break it. Don't you EVER try and tell me what to do. You can't not be around most of my life, finally show up just to criticize every fucking thing about me...now you think I should listen to you, take your brotherly advice and direction? Go fuck yourself, big brother. And Theon is MINE...not yours..you have no say in what I do with him." Not sure what else to do, but terrified that Ramsay will hurt Domeric, Theon lunged into his Master.

It was a hard enough shove that Domeric's hand was torn away. Both could save face and Roose's voice made sure to end it. "DO I HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF?" Domeric went downstairs, Ramsay followed with Theon clattering down behind him. When they reached the living room, Roose was standing there waiting.

"I do not appreciate having to wait while my sons squabble in a hallway. Now if I have your attention, there is news that concerns you, all of us. Cat Stark's father has passed away. This is a very stressful time for her and Ned asked if we would have Jon here. Probably for a week or so, long enough for Cat to deal with services and emotions, I assume. He will share Domeric's room, you can bring up a cot from the basement. Or borrow Ramsay's air mattress."

Ramsay glared and shook his head. "Why can't Jon stay somewhere else? Why with us? I am not letting him anywhere near my pet or my stuff!" Roose walked over to Ramsay and stared at him. He stared until Ramsay lowered his eyes and Theon whimpered, hiding in his Master's back.

"You will share everything you have, like a good host would, Ramsay. You will be polite, graceful and welcoming to him. If you make Jon's life miserable I will do the same to yours. I won't spank you, I won't punch or even flay you this time. No...because if you push the limits of my openness to your lifestyle...by tormenting the SON of my associate..my openness might end. Hear me, boy?"

Ramsay was pale now and blinking away sudden burning tears, but he pretended it was sweat. He nodded and swallowed thickly. It was the most terrifying thought, that his father might rip away his Theon..his pet. That was worse than letting Jon around Theon. Whatever damage Jon does, Ramsay can train and fix.

Domeric gave his father a pleasant smile and said, "I am glad to let Jon share my room, Father. I never saw him much so this is a great chance for me to know Jon." Ramsay rolled his eyes and Roose sighed. "Domeric..son..I love you..I do. But..why are you still home? I thought you were leaving two days ago now?" With a defensive crossing of arms, he started to bluster. "Well...I..just wanted a few more days with my family. Is there something wrong that I cannot visit my family?"

Theon suddenly jumped forward, already forgetting why he was scared a moment ago. "I am your family too! I am foster! So I-" Ramsay grabbed the scrawny neck and squeezed. As Theon slowly turned purple and bug eyed, Ramsay explained, "No dear. The fostering thing is really just for show. You aren't a family member, sweetie. You are the family pet." Roose cleared his throat. "Strangling the family pet is a perfect example of things I don't want to happen in front of Jon."

 


	32. The Rebellion Stage Part 2

Jon entered, first came his glorious black hair still swaying from the wind and snow. His black fake fur jacket was flowing behind him and his bags. Ramsay whispered to Theon as he held his leash even tighter, "Why is it every time that boy shows up, its a fucking entrance? I mean..he looks like he just came from his great Expedition over The Wall or some shit! He came from next door."

Theon whined a little, twisting in place. Jon was here it was exciting and he had to really try and focus on Ramsay. "Jon wants to go to The Wall someday! They are still taking Rangers..he wants to go when he graduates next year." Snorting with laughter, Ramsay said, "Oh Gods, really! I hope they take him, I honestly hope they do, Theon. Now if Jon can keep his mouth shut during his visit, maybe he will live long enough to get to The Wall."

  Roose gave as warm of a greeting as his own sons recieve. The quick sharp pat on the back just seemed to unnerve Jon. "Hello, Mr. Bolton. Thank you for letting me stay here, Sir." Offering a thin slice of smile, Roose extended his hand forth.

"You know Ramsay and Theon, of course. This is Domeric, my oldest son. I think you might have seen him at a few weddings or funerals perhaps. He has lived at boarding school and now attends University in the Riverlands. He has made a rare but very welcome visit to us as well. Domeric will be happy to share his room with you. We are very happy to have you here, Jon. I imagine the boys will help you come up with fun things to do during your stay with us."

The smiles from Jon and Ramsay were as fake as a mall Santa Claus. The smiles from Domeric and Theon were as real as any child waiting, holding dreams that they will reveal to this impostor Santa.  After the boys tried to exchange pleasantries, Roose glared at Ramsay who finally let Theon off the leash. The boy charged forward and hugged Jon so hard that they stumbled into a wall.

"Oh, I am so happy! I am gonna ask Master if we can make popcorn and do like we used to! We could pick a movie that Master would like and he can join us and maybe if I am real good he will let me snuggle with him on the couch!"

Ramsay stood there fuming as Jon tried hard to understand the babbling. Each word ran straight into the next and the whole time Theon was a blur. He grew eighty arms all wrapping around Jon and it seems his legs were replaced by Pogo sticks. Bouncing, lunging and Ramsay stared at his father.

"You really want me to let him jump all over someone? He doesn't learn well, father. It is all or nothing in Theon's mind. Either he can always jump on others or he never can." Roose tapped his foot then gave a tiny nod. "THEON!" As soon as that voice snapped out his name, Theon stumbled back from Jon and turned around. "Sorry, Master."

Crooking a finger, Ramsay softly spoke, "Come here. What is the rule? When people come inside?" Theon's joy was gone, his shoulders and head slumped low and he slunk over to stand before Ramsay. "No jumping." Ramsay nodded and before he could say anything further, his father cut in. "Thank you for reminding Theon of his manners, son. You will of course let the tiny mistake go. Why don't you boys help Jon get settled, help him put his bags away and set up a bed for him."

Ramsay bit his lip and nodded obediently, seething. Let it go. As if Roose has any idea how to train or care for his Theon. Well, when the mistake becomes big enough, Ramsay just hopes Roose doesn't do the disciplining of Theon himself. Because if the training method is changed now, Theon might become confused, he might break his rules in a big way.

It's not fair..the others cause the problem, but MY poor dog will pay for it. Attaching Theon's leash, Ramsay went upstairs to get the air mattress for Jon ready. While he dug it out of the closet, Ramsay could hear Theon frantically pacing the room,whimpering.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM NOW?" Roared Ramsay, pulling the air pump out of the closet. Theon was clutching his fingers so hard, Ramsay thought he might break them. "You ALWAYS punish me for breaking a rule. I can only break the rule without punishment if it is an emergency."

Theon said this as if he were reading it carefully from a poster in school. Ramsay groaned and slapped his forehead. "Theon..you stupid fucking sweet foolish fuck. You are the ONLY person in this whole country that is PANICKING because they DID NOT recieve a punishment. Come here, you idiot."

Ramsay held his shivering pet in his arms as the air filled the mattress. As soon as it was finished, he threw his doggie onto it. "It is a shame that Jon should feel this comfy mattress before we do." Before Theon could make a single protest, Ramsay was on him, kissing deeply to shut him up. It was rare that Ramsay played these games with Theon. A little more often now that Myranda has disappeared.

At first it scared Theon, but Ramsay knew how to mix pain and pleasure so well. So he melted into his Master and the mattress. When Ramsay stopped kissing and started nibbling at his neck, Reek did speak. "P..Please, Master..don't stop." Ramsay made sure the mattress could withstand sweat, stains and the extreme beating of two bodies having very rough sex. It also withstood semen and blood.

When they were done, Ramsay gave Theon the smallest alcohol pad he could find. "Clean the mattress for Jon to use. Only clean it with this."


	33. The Rebellion Stage Part 3

Domeric showed Jon into his room and Jon nodded approvingly, looking around. It was large, tastefully decorated and full of carefully placed trophies and books. They discussed sports, they discussed favorite books and movies. Jon put his items away, Domeric already had an extra dresser ready for him.

Then they finally saw Theon dragging the mattress down the hall. The boy babbled apologies as he knocked over two lamps bringing in the mattress. Ramsay came into the doorway, hanging on to it, grinning. "He wanted to bring it himself for you, Jon. He made sure to help me in setting it up for you."

Jon and Domeric stared at the fading, sticky stains and said nothing. Finally Jon looked up with a grim smile and stared hard at Ramsay. "Thanks. Nice of you to share your mattress. I can see you really like to use it a lot. If you want it back, go ahead and take it. I actually brought a sleeping bag with me. I can just use that."

Ramsay widened his eyes and asked gently, "Uh, Jon? What sleeping bag? I don't see it, do you?" Jon looked around and saw it was gone. "What did you do with it, Ramsay? Give it back!" Ordered Domeric, stepping forward. Ramsay spread his arms and legs out. "Want to frisk me in case I am somehow holding his sleeping bag? I haven't touched it. You are welcome to check my room for it if you don't believe me, Jon."

Both Jon and Domeric stomped down the hall into Ramsay's room. Ramsay giggled and shoved Theon into the room, so they can have fun. Ramsay had made sure to set out on the bed new pony gear he has yet to use on his pet. The pony butt plug had a prominent place on the pillows.

Theon had shuddered with dread when he saw it then in relief when Ramsay seemed to be only using it as a prop for a joke. Ramsay grinned at the thought of the look on Theon's face when he uses that tail on him tonight.  Domeric blushed at the items but Jon stared at them with disgust then looked away. They checked under the bed, in the closet, every nook or cranny it could have been stuffed into. Nothing, no sleeping bag.

They found it on the lawn twenty minutes later and somehow it was covered in piss. Domeric sighed and told Jon that they would make do. Roose heard of it and he solved the problem neatly. "Ramsay, that couch you favor, the two-seater that you cuddle with your pet on? Yes, that one. Carry it upstairs so that Jon may sleep on it tonight. Theon will carry all the cushions for you. And Ramsay..if it doesn't make it to Domeric's room in its perfect condition, I may decide Theon doesn't need a collar anymore."

Roose kept his eyes on his angry son until he started struggling to carry the couch up the steep steps. Ramsay was sweating and panting by the time he managed to drag the couch into Domeric's room. "Theon, let's go. I need to shower now." He snapped and was pleased that Theon jumped to follow him away from Jon.

Jon was given some good comforters and pillows by Domeric. They each lay on their bed and thought of what to say before pretending to sleep. Domeric broke first.

"I worry about Theon. I know you are a good friend of his..I hold no sway with Ramsay, my brother hates me and my father tolerates me. I..I chose to stay in boarding schools all these years after mother died...I hated my father, we did not agree on much of anything. I wanted nothing to do with his...work. I still want nothing to do with it. But I am getting ready to marry a girl I love, so I wanted to try again to get closer with my family. I mean, what if I have children..I hope I do..can you imagine Uncle Ramsay and Grandpa Roose And how in the hell would I even explain what Theon is?" 

With a shudder, Jon raised his hand out and pleaded, "Oh Gods, stop! What a terrifying fucking thing to say to me just before I am going to sleep!" He sat up and ran his hands through his hair, frustrated.

"I was so happy when Theon lived with us! I suddenly wasn't the only target. There was someone else there who felt just as hurt, lonely and left out as me! Someone who knew the feeling of discipline without ever receiving rewards. He would let me cry on him for hours and we would lay in the bed and hug each other. The others did their own thing and Theon played with me. Now he needs Ramsay fucking permission just to say hi to me! I hate it so much. And I have seen bruises, I have seen Ramsay hit him before! Treating Theon like a dog..how can your father allow this? My father said Roose even causally mentioned it during the New Year's Eve party!"

Domeric nearly exploded. "I HAVE FUCKING BEGGED MY FATHER TO END THIS! I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE IS THINKING! HE THREATENS TO KICK ME OUT IF I GET INVOLVED! And it doesn't matter anyway...Theon likes it here. He loves Ramsay..he thinks this is just fine...I have tried so many times to talk to Theon but nothing works. He is content somehow with it. I have no idea how to fix it, Jon. And I know you are just as concerned, perhaps while you are here we could work together. See if we can help Theon somehow. Maybe forceful isn't going to work..but logic and science do...things Ramsay can't comprehend! We can do some research. Learn more about their obvious mental conditions. Sneak around, my father files everything in his office.  I know all our medical records are in there. I bet Ramsay and Theon's records will be really interesting to read. And might hold the clue to fixing either Theon or Ramsay."

Jon snorted, but his eyes shone with new hope. "Yeah, it is really too much to hope to fix both of them."


	34. The Rebellion Stage Part 4

Jon and Domeric spent countless hours researching online. "Okay. So this is our complete list?" Domeric asked and Jon nodded. Sighing, they stared at it and felt hopeless. Ramsay had symptoms relating to sociopaths, psychopaths, personality disorders or perhaps a brain tumor. Theon had symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Lima Syndrome, Anxiety Disorder, Stockholm Syndrome, ADHD, psychosis, or perhaps Feral Human Syndrome. The last one they were pretty sure was out on both Ramsay and Theon's lists. All required the treatment of doctors and therapists as well as medications. There would never be a way to convince Roose to take either of them to a doctor.

The next day they tried to spend time with Theon. Jon made sure to ask right in front of Roose so Ramsay had no choice but to agree. They tried to play Jenga with him but it was hopeless. Every time Ramsay made a sound from the other room, Theon would whack into the tower knocking it everywhere. His focus was on Ramsay no matter where he was and Ramsay damn well knew it. They couldn't prove it, but Ramsay made a sound every single turn that Theon had. They attempted a game of Scrabble and that didn't go much better. Every turn, a rustle, a cough, a bang and there went the wooden pieces as Theon leaped to crane his head eagerly. Just in case Ramsay had need of him. In hopes of it, which is what bothered Domeric and Jon the most.

"He will cry if Ramsay hurts him or punishes him in anyway. He will even scream or actually howl depending on how bad it is. But I have never once seen Theon not forgive him instantly. I have never once heard Theon tell him no about anything. He never argues, he will beg, cajole, drive Ramsay crazy in other ways but he never ever disobeys Ramsay on purpose. He thinks they are in love, just a rather unique kind, that is what he says Ramsay tells him. The poor fool believes it." Domeric told Jon as Theon finally was given his chance to leave. He flew to Ramsay and leaped on him like a deranged monkey. "Good boy. Now get the fuck off me and get your leash. I want to get out of here. Want to see Ben at the dog park?" Jon watched as Theon nodded eagerly and ran to bring Ramsay the leash. Ramsay stood there and gave such a gloating fucking look that Jon could barely keep from punching him.

"I know what you are thinking. Its not worth it. He would get revenge twice as bad later. It would be taken out on Theon as well." Domeric said very quietly into Jon's ear. Jon and Domeric watched stonily as Theon came nearly running through Ramsay. He nearly strangled himself and Ramsay in the leash in his jumping, skittering about. "BAD DOG! STAY! THEON, DAMMIT!" Ramsay yelled and delivered a sharp whack to Theon's head. The boy yelped and went still so Ramsay could untangle them. Jon growled and Domeric put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing in warning. "If you say something, he might hit Theon harder." Domeric whispered and Jon calmed down.

Ramsay finally untangled them and got the leash attached to the collar. He shoved Theon into a jacket and held mittens for his hands. Not gloves, like Ramsay, mittens. He helped Theon pull on his snow boots and pulled a hat hard down onto his curls. Only after Theon was dressed properly, did Ramsay finish getting his own winter gear on. He had attached the leash to the doorknob while Ramsay gets ready. This keeps Theon from pacing, wandering and jumping. It allows him a chance to hop from foot to foot and babble however. Ramsay moves fast and shoves a scarf into Theon's mouth. "Hush for a minute." Theon gave Ramsay a hurt look but continued to hop foot to foot and wait. When Ramsay finished getting ready, he pulled the scarf out. He threw the soggy thing on the floor and pulled on the leash. "Heel." Theon obediently followed Ramsay out the door.  

Jon and Domeric saw that Roose had left a while ago, they had the house to themselves. First they tried to pick the lock to Roose's study but had no success. They tried Ramsay's room and were able to get the lock to jiggle open. In triumph they stepped into a room of nightmares. Dark terrifying art posters hung on the walls amid strange torture devices and weaponry. He had shelves of different blades, two crossbows mounted on display shelves. A dog cage sat near the foot of the large bed. None of this was what had scared the two boys. What scared them was the alarms that were triggered when they opened the door. An air horn was triggered that blew Jon's hairstyle out and nearly exploded his ear drums. Domeric was busy fighting off the world's biggest spiderweb that has suddenly landed on him. "AAIIEEE!" He screamed like a young girl as he suddenly became a ninja karate warrior of the worst order.

It took a few moments to calm Domeric down enough for the half deaf and stunned Jon to untangle him. They threw the netting to the ground and decided to leave the room. "Forget it. I will stick my hand in a drawer just to have my fingers broken by a mousetrap or something." Muttered Jon as they shut the door and locked it. Feeling a bit despondent, Jon rubbed his temples. "I need something for my aching head. Do you have some aspirin or something?" Nodding, Domeric gestured towards the rarely used bathroom off the dark kitchen hallway. "There is a medicine cabinet in there. Father keeps all the pills in there." A minute later Jon gave a hoot of triumph. "Hey! Domeric, look at this!" He entered the room and looked at the bottle on the overstuffed little shelf. It was for Theon, it was ADHD medication and it was months old. "This should have been used and refilled awhile ago! Ramsay hasn't been giving Theon his medication at all."

The two boys looked at each other and grinned. They went to the drugstore and bought a pill crusher and then went to the grocery store. It was time to let Theon have some more home-cooked meals. This time with some medication tucked deep within them.


	35. The Rebellion Stage Part 5

Roose had driven past the dog park on his way home and saw Ramsay with Theon. It was freezing out and they were huddled together for warmth. Pulling over he gave the boys a ride. His son got into the passengers seat after he nearly threw Theon into the backseat. Theon kept trying to pop his head over Ramsay's seat or between their seats. Ramsay would grab his face and shove him back, throwing insults at him. Theon nearly strangled himself in his seat belt to keep lunging and babbling. Roose kept driving and pretended not to see the happy grins on the boys faces.

As soon as Theon shoved the door open, Roose knew that the next game was on. With a sigh, he entered the house and took off his coat. Stepping past lunging Theon who was being yanked back by an annoyed Ramsay, Roose looked at the two young idiots wearing aprons. "Well then..what is all this? It smells good in here. Not Italian, thank goodness." He spoke softly and calmly but he felt his blood pressure rise. Must the boys play their games on each around him always? And do they really have to include a Stark this time, it was really too much. Domeric and Jon smiled so innocently that even Ramsay was bristling.

Jon spoke first, taking a step forward, such a perfect young man. Roose hated him almost as badly as he hated Robb and Ned. He should be doing hair commercials, slowly tossing his mane about, not here making more trouble in Roose's own home. "Sir, I wanted to find a way to show my thanks for letting me stay here. So since I cook some...and so does Domeric...we decided we shall cook breakfast and dinner for you all until I leave. Please let us, Mr. Bolton? My father has taught me to always show gratitude when I can." More babbling from next to Roose but this time it wasn't Theon. 

Slapping a hand over his son's mouth, Roose gave the thinnest slice of a smile ever given and nodded. "Your father has raised you well, of course. Thank you for this kind gift. It is most accepted." You little twat. You and your father can go suck Tywin Lannister's balls. Unlike Ramsay, Roose can keep his fury and words on the inside. Very softly, so that only Ramsay and possibly Theon could hear, Roose asked, "Son, do you need to borrow your pet's muzzle? I will be happy to send Theon to get it." Instant silence and stillness. "Much better. Do you feel you can control yourself now? We shall ALL share in this lovely present from Jon. Won't we?" Roose removed his hand and Ramsay sullenly nodded.

Theon was clever enough to read the body language of both son and father. He was no longer bouncing or shifting his feet, eyes were on the ground. His thin body seemed to curve inwards and he somehow was even small now. Like a dog that knows bad things are in the air and crouches low, waiting for it. Why the smell of meatloaf and the knowledge that Jon and Domeric made it is upsetting the other two so badly he doesn't understand.

Yes, Ramsay maybe, he gets mad at everything his brother does, everything at Jon does. He is jealous, possessive and hates attention on Theon that he doesn't approve of. But he was angrier than usual over it, like shaking angry. That was a very bad thing, it always falls back on him somehow. Even more disturbing is how angry Roose is. He might sound pleasant and soft, his demeanor was very calm, but that was bad too. Because if that upset lands on Ramsay, it will certainly come back onto Theon. So Theon knows to stay low, stay quiet, stay GOOD. And he does, just waiting for whatever will happen next. He is sure whatever it is will fall onto him and he won't get to eat that meatloaf.

Yet Ramsay dragged Theon to the table and threw him into his chair. But the look on Ramsay's face was chilling and Theon didn't even dare look at Roose. So he did the only thing he could think of to do. And tears came into his eyes at the ultimate sacrifice he was willing to make in order to keep the peace. Very gently he touched Ramsay's arm and leaned closer to peek up through his hair at those icy eyes. "Master? I..I can just make a sandwich later. I...I am not very hungry." The offer was killing him and he stumbled over his huge lie.

Ramsay wanted to hit Theon for lying and wanted to hug him for trying to give up the food just to make his Master happy. Oh, how he wanted to nod and order his dog to the bedroom. Later he would hand feed him for being so loyal then spank him for lying, but Ramsay felt his father's eyes on him. "No, Theon. Jon and Domeric went through so much trouble to make this lovely dinner for us. We shall all eat it together." He did tousle those curls then give them a hard tug. It put a small grin on his pet's face and Ramsay felt a bit better. It was just food after all.

"I would like to make a quick statement on it though." Ramsay added and felt his father's eyes drilling through him. "Just for Theon's own safety, he is NOT allowed to help you out in the kitchen. Domeric can explain why, Jon." Domeric went red and started to stammer. Ramsay smirked and didn't even get upset that Jon filled Theon's plate himself. "Look, its your own personal meatloaf, Theon! Everyone gets their own." Theon was tickled pink over tiny meatloaves and devoured two of them before Ramsay halted him. Jon and Domeric watched and waited.  

 


	36. The Rebellion Stage Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unlike this story, ADHD is real. It is usually treated with a mixture of therapies and medications. These medications can cause rare side effects similar to what I am having Theon experience. However, the thing I took great liberty with, is timing. Most medications for ADHD that are long lasting daily ones take up to two weeks to kick in. Some side effects can kick in quicker than the actual treatment can..but usually not anywhere as quick as overnight!

Ramsay woke up and knew instantly something was off, wrong. He sat up blinking in the sunlight. There were sounds of folks moving around and breakfast being cooked, that was normal. He looked at the clock, it was later than he would sleep in normally...but it was vacation still. He and Theon had two more days before school started again. Theon. Ramsay looked at the sleeping form next to him and frowned. Maybe Theon woke and remembered it was not his job to cook breakfast for Ramsay for a few days. _Yeah and went back to sleep?_ Not likely.

Ramsay knows from experience that once Theon is awake it is very hard to get him to go back to sleep. Also the smell of bacon was strong enough for Ramsay to smell which meant Theon would have smelled it awhile ago. That alone would have had Theon all over Ramsay trying to get him awake and downstairs. Was he sick? He did sleep a lot if he was sick. Ramsay felt the forehead and it was cool and dry. Theon didn't sound congested, he wasn't moaning in his sleep or shivering. Just heavily asleep.

He shook Theon hard and received his next shock of the morning. "Hey, wake up if you want to have your bacon this morning." Ramsay warned loudly.  "Eh..five more minutes." Muttered Theon, rolling away from Ramsay. Staring, blinking, then Ramsay kicked Theon hard enough that he flew out of the bed, smashing onto the hard floor. "What the fuck, ow!" He heard muttered, no _snarled_ , from the floor and Ramsay flew over with a belt in his hand. He only gave Theon enough time to see it coming and wrap his arms over his head to protect it before swinging.

"DON'T YOU EVER GET A FUCKING ATTITUDE LIKE THAT! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SNARLING AT? HUH? DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT! YOU GET THE FUCK UP WHEN I SAY YOU DO! AND YOU NEVER, EVER SNARL AT ME, DO YOU HEAR ME!" A sudden thud at Ramsay's door caught his attention and he stopped hitting his howling pet. "We all hear you, Ramsay. Enough. Nothing is worth this output of fury this early in the morning. I expect both of you at breakfast in twenty minutes. Move it now." Wincing, Ramsay called back, "Yes, Sir." He waited until he heard Roose leave before looking down Theon.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he tossed the belt onto the bed. Here were the big sad and fearful eyes that his pet always gave after he was bad. After he had to be disciplined. Theon inched forward and kissed Ramsay's feet. "I'm sorry. Master, please, sorry. I..I don't know why I..." He was sobbing and contrite. Ramsay crouched down and yanked Theon up by his neck. "I don't give a shit why it happened. Don't let it happen again. You know my temper, Theon. I hate it when you make me hurt you that much while I'm angry. I was in a good mood, too. You don't deserve bacon after what you did, but father would get pissed. Set out my clothes while I go shower."

Ramsay headed for the bathroom when he heard Theon ask, "Could I shower too?" He stopped and whirled around. "Is it a school day? Is father making us go somewhere with him? Did we plan an extra shower day for you today for a reason? No? Then why the fuck would I let you shower? What a stupid fucking question. Why would you even ask such a thing, idiot?" Snorting, Ramsay went into the bathroom, issuing a last statement before slamming the door shut. "You better fix your fucking head and mouth before I get out of the shower."

Ramsay was hoping that Theon would be all fixed by the time he came back into the room, but he wasn't fixed. Normally while Ramsay tried to get them ready his pet babbled a mile a minute. Today he was stonily silent or seemed to be just sullen and irritated. Ramsay was used to Theon struggling during things like showering and dressing. Theon had too many other things to do,see and babble about to suffer the extra moments lost to grooming. So Ramsay was quite used to dressing a squirming, pulling and whining puppy, most days it was a challenge he enjoyed. Today that wasn't what happened at all.

Theon wasn't trying to squirm away, he actually yanked himself away from Ramsay's grip. "I can dress myself! Let me just do it on my own if you want me dressed fast." He snapped angrily into Ramsay's shocked face. After Ramsay backhanded him, he put a hand around Theon's throat and slammed him into the wall. He shoved his chest up against Theon's then leaned into his face, hissing, "Stupid fucking idiot! Have you ever seen a dog put on it's own doggie sweater? No, because the owner does it for him, the pet's Master. You are the dog, the pet, remember? You are so lucky we have to go downstairs now. But you will regret yanking away from me and snapping at me later on. Think on that while you enjoy your company and breakfast." 

With a small sob, Theon turned limp and started to beg forgiveness. Ramsay did not give it, instead he hid his worry behind his anger and harshly forced his pet into his clothing. "Don't you move until I say so!" He warned as he got himself ready, but Theon was too distraught, sniffling and tearful. Yet by the time Ramsay told his pet to follow him, Theon seemed silent and brooding. Halfway down the stairs, Ramsay expected Theon to start trying to lunge ahead of him. But his pet stayed silent and right behind him on the stairs.

Ramsay assumed his pet was trying to make up for bad behavior by behaving now. He turned to tease and praise Theon for it but the words dried on his lips. This wasn't the usual look of a self sacrificing pet...this was pure apathy on his boy's face. Theon didn't care if his favorite food that he rarely gets is right there for him to eat. And Ramsay knew something bad was happening. Theon stayed quiet and went straight to his chair and sat down. Jon set a plate in front of him and exclaimed, "Look,Theon! You have your very own bacon and cheese omelet!"

Theon looked slowly upwards until his eyes met Jon's. "Uh, I can smell and see what it is. You don't need to sing me a preschool song about it, Jon." Ramsay smirked, at least he wasn't gong to be the only recipient of his pet's rudeness.  Roose was not amused and spoke. "Theon! Ramsay might find it funny that you are rude to our guest and someone nice enough to cook for you but I do not. You will apologize." With sudden shock on his face, Theon seemed to suddenly regret his actions. "Oh..please..forgive me, Jon..forgive me, Sir. I don't know why I acted that way. Please, I truly am just not myself today. I am very sorry, I really am. Thank you for making me this omelet, Jon, it looks wonderful!" 

They all watched Theon carefully as he ate after receiving Ramsay's permission to do so. Usually, he attacked his food, eating as messily as Ramsay and Roose can tolerate. Which is why he receives small portions of food at a time, because he gives himself a stomach ache and makes a gigantic mess. Not today and that was very unusual. He used his fork only taking on occasional bite and chewing it mechanically. Theon didn't close his eyes and throw his head back, moaning at bacon as he usually does. He didn't grab for things while Ramsay slapped his hands and took his silverware away for eating too fast. There was no need, he was neat, clean and barely eating at all. 

Roose raised his eyebrows and said to Ramsay softly, "I think maybe a little trip out today might be nice. Maybe we should give a quick visit to the clinic, son. He may not be feeling well and it could affect his moods." Ramsay nodded and said to Theon, "Guess what? You are getting a shower after all. Then we are getting your leash and jacket and going for a ride. If you can manage to behave the whole time we can get hot chocolate on the way home later." Ramsay cooed, expecting Theon to bolt and hide at the prospect of a clinic drive. What he didn't expect was Theon to look straight at him defiantly and bark out, "NO!"

Ramsay no longer cared about anything. He gave his pet a hard punch to the stomach then grabbed a fistful of the dirty curls, winding them around his fist. Ignoring all of the protests, even of his father, Ramsay ran up the staircase, dragging Theon screaming behind him. He dragged his pet into the bedroom and over to the desk. Slamming Theon's face down on the desk, Ramsay pinned him there while he searched a drawer for something. Finding it, his fist yanked Theon's head back up so he could shove the found item into his defiant pet's face. Theon tried to focus the paper in his face. "DO YOU REMEMBER READING THIS? AGREEING TO IT, SIGNING IT? YOU ARE MY PET, YOU DO NOT GET TO SAY NO. YOU DO NOT GET TO ACT LIKE THIS, READ IT! REMEMBER IT NOW?"

Pushing the paper even closer, Ramsay gaped in shock as Theon opened his mouth wide and ate the contract with a growl. His teeth wrenched it from Ramsay's hand and he chewed a bit then swallowed it whole. Luckily Roose and Domeric had made it into the room by then. It was just time as Ramsay's hand now was holding a knife. It took Roose and Domeric to hold Ramsay back while Jon suffered a bite from Theon who then flew out of the room. They had expected to hear Theon go hide instead they heard the back door slam. Then almost disbelievingly both Roose and Ramsay looked up at the sound of the outer gate slam open too.

Jon and Domeric were after him on foot. Roose took Ramsay with him in the car, saying it was the only way he was allowed to help search. "You are too upset with him right now. If you aren't supervised you may not come to find Theon." So Ramsay agreed, desperate to find his pet more than he wants to be angry with him. "I will text the boys to look for him too." As they ran, calling for Theon, trying all his usual spots that Jon remembers Theon hiding in, they both regretted the situation. This wasn't what they expected to happen. Not that they are really sure what they expected but it wasn't this.


	37. The Rebellion Stage Part 7

Damon pushed his way out of the back theater door first, followed by Skinner and Alyn. "That sucked. It was boring and there was so much water sloshing everywhere I had to pee eight times." Alyn complained as he lit a smoke and then another since Damon stole it from him. With a broad smile Damon said, "Yeah, it was boring but now we can do that fucking report on Moby Dick without having to read it." Skinner muttered that he wasn't sure it would be exact but Damon snorted. "How different could it be really?"

Alyn was slouching against his car while the two argued when someone really thin came flying into him, knocking him flat. He looked up cursing just as Theon's wet rubber boot came smacking into his forehead. "What the fuck, I'll kill you!" He screamed as Theon turned and actually kicked him on purpose. Damon and Skinner turned just in time to hear the boy tell Alyn to fuck off and dart away.

Skinner was about to help his struggling friend up from the icy ground when his cell rang. He answered it while Damon was already chasing after Theon. "Yeah, we know he is loose. He just ran over Alyn. The parking lot at the movie theater. We are going to go after him in Alyn's car. I'll drive or Alyn will just run him over. Damon is already after Theon, he'll probably catch him before you get this far."

Ben was just coming around the corner with his dogs when chaos struck. He had their leashes with them since they were not in the dog park but on the sidewalk. A person would argue that the leashes were wrapped around Ben's shoulders and not connected to any of the dogs but at least he had the leashes. Besides it was a very quiet day, too icy and frigid for most to want to be out on purpose.

Theon burst out of an alley nearly a foot in front of him and the dogs went joyful. Seconds after Damon came out of the alley and laid large angry hands on Theon. The boy snarled and began to fight the behemoth. The dogs attacked the giant who was now cowering against a cinder block wall, screaming for Ben to call the dogs off.

"Good girls!" Theon encouraged the snarling dogs which made Ben stare at the boy in surprise. Before Ben could ask anything, Theon had flown off. Ramsay and his father drove up only to find Ben leashing his dogs while Damon sat against the wall bleeding. "What the fuck is wrong with Theon?" They asked and so did Skinner and Alyn moments later but Ramsay had no answer beyond, find him before he gets hurt.

Jon and Domeric saw him and chased him past the town square then had to report they lost him downtown. Roose's phone rang as he drove past Theon's favorite pizza place, while Ramsy yelled for Theon out the window in hope. "Hello?" "Uh, yes, Roose?" "Yes, Tyrion, how can I help you?" "Well, did you happen to lose..anyone today?" Ramsay stuck his head inside the window and shouted, "Is he back home? Is he in your yard or ours?"

"I am afraid he is in the tree in our backyard. He must have been cutting through and Joff saw him...they fought a bit and then Joff went to get his BB gun. Now Cersie is trying to keep Joff from shooting Theon down but..." Roose nearly killed them and broke many traffic violations while Ramsay ranted about killing the Lannisters if they touched his pet. The car had not come to a full stop when Ramsay leaped out and ran into the Lannisters yard.

There he saw Tyrion and Cersie wrestling the little bully for his weapon and Ramsay ran past them to the tree. Theon was near the top branch and he was howling now in fear. Tears streaming from large eyes, it was his normal stupid dog again. "Ah, foolish, what did you do? Can you climb down at all?" Ramsay called up and Theon shook his head frantically. "I am s..scared! Please Master! Help me!"

To Ramsay's ultimate put down, he tried but couldn't get all the way up to get his pet. A crowd was drawing and his brother along with Jon showed up. "I am the best climber in the neighborhood, I'll get him." Sadly, it was true and Ramsay had no choice but to let Jon climb up the tree after Theon. The boy cried and had to be coaxed by Ramsay down below before he let Jon grab him.

He held onto Jon with a strangling grip all the way down, whining. As soon as Jon touched ground, Theon was ripped off him by an angry Ramsay. Shaking Theon hard, Ramsay lectured his pet all the way home, dragging him. They had barely gotten inside when Theon went from hugging Ramsay and sobbing apologies to pushing him away.

"Alright, I fucked up, sorry! I just needed some fucking space to..to think! Not one of you will leave me be!" Theon snapped and Ramsay backhanded him into the wall. "Just shut up! Stop this now, I swear I'll make it stop, you'll see!" Ramsay threatened as he started to yank his pet down into the basement. Theon shrieked and thrashed so hard they both went tumbling down the staircase.

Ramsay curled around Theon to take the worse of it and grunted with pain. When they landed, Ramsay roughly checked to make sure his screaming pet was fine then dragged him to the small cage. "Not even a sweater this time! Bad Boy!" He snarled as he had to really shove to get Theon into the cage. He slammed it shut and locked it as Theon's feet began to kick at the wire door.

"DO YOU WANT ME TO BREAK YOUR FUCKING FEET, THEON?" Ramsay screamed, drowning out in fear and rage. "Might as well, asshole. You take everything else you want you do anything else you want, why not take my feet?" Theon spat out and Ramsay lost control of his temper. He had the hammer in his hand, the cage flung open and Theon's foot in one hand when his father tackled him.

"No...you are going upstairs and Theon will stay in his cage for now." Roose shut and locked the cage then dragged Ramsay upstairs and locked the basement door, keeping the key Ramsay had in his pocket. "You will stay away from him until this is sorted out. It's late and Qyburn is treating your friends. He can see Theon tomorrow if needed."

Roose steered Ramsay to a kitchen chair then sat down himself as the other two boys came in from dealing with the Lannisters. Ignoring them, Roose said, "Apparently, Damon got bit by several of Ben's dogs and needs care. Theon gave Alyn a concussion and when Skinner thought he saw Theon near a park, he sprained his ankle getting out of Alyn's car. That boy really gave everyone a run for their money today, didn't he?"

"Ramsay...we have seen this before, you know that. It's always temporary. You need to find a way to deal with his small breaks into this other attitude better. It's bound to happen on and off throughout his life. What will you do when you are older and not living with me anymore? Will you accidentally kill him? If you think that will eventually be the possibility, maybe it's kinder to find him a new home now."

"NEVER! Father, please don't take him from me! I can handle it! I'll learn to, I would never kill him, not ever. You know how I feel about him, how important Theon is for me! Even you say, even the teachers and counselors all say I am doing better with Theon around me! I just was shocked by it and I need a little break from Theon then I can deal with him." Ramsay assured his father and himself. He ran upstairs to his room without another word and Roose sighed.

"Do not unlock that door or let Ramsay either. Theon shall stay in that cage until both he and Ramsay are calm." He decreed and left wearily for his study as Dom and Jon started to cook dinner. "Lets not put any of that medication in Theon's dinner." Jon whispered and Domeric agreed. "Not sure if Theon will even be allowed to eat tonight." He said morosely. "I think we fucked up." "Ya think?"


	38. The Rebellion Stage Part 8

The food was good but supper was miserable. Ramsay was overruled by his father about bring Theon up for dinner. "No. Jon or Domeric can bring Theon his supper after we are done. You know we would risk him starting up all over again. Until he is back to normal, Theon must stay caged. I won't risk having what happened earlier or worse happen tonight. Tomorrow he will see the doctor and we will see what needs to be done next." Ramsay spent dinner grimly eating his food without a word for anyone. It was a relief to end the meal and have everyone separate. As they cleared the table Jon set a plate of turkey and stuffing casserole aside for Theon.

Domeric and Jon were as miserable and guilty feeling than they expected they would be. "What if they send him to an institution? Would your father do that?" Jon asked after Roose and Ramsay had left the room.  Domeric shrugged and said, "I really don't know. But if they just wait a day or two, without the medication Theon should go back to normal. Well..normal for him, at least."  Jon lifted the plate to bring to Theon, leaving Domeric to finish the last of it. "We hope he will change back. We have to hope it didn't make this..permanent." Jon commented as he unlocked the basement with the key Roose gave him.

Jon could hear Theon whining and moving about in the cage. He went down the stairs and turned the light on at the bottom, squinting in the brightness of it. "I am not allowed to let you out, Theon. But Roose said I could give you your dinner. I hope you like it, it's turkey with extra gravy the way you like it." It hurt to see his poor friend curled in a cage, miserable and crying "Please, I need you to get Ramsay! I need to apologize before he gets rid of me!"  Jon knelt down and opened the door and shoved the plate in fast along with a water-bottle then latched it again. At least he seemed to be back to himself. If not, Theon would have rammed through the open door already to run and fight.

"I'm sorry. Ramsay wants to be with you, he does! His father won't allow it right now. He wants you to stay in here and Ramsay to stay away until tomorrow. Just so everyone can calm down." Jon tried to speak with a soothing tone but Theon seemed more upset. "But my Master is what calms me down!" Theon wailed and Jon sighed. "Do you want me to sit with you while you have your dinner?" He offered and Theon nodded. Settling down into a sitting position, he watched as Theon inhaled his dinner. Then he took the plate out but stayed for a little longer so Theon could talk.

As tears silently trickled down his face, Theon spoke. "I...that doesn't happen much anymore. At my parents house..that is why they hated me, beat on me so much..it stopped mostly when I lived with you. I..I got into those fights at school because of it though, remember? That is when your mom finally kicked me out. When I punched Robb and got you to smoke pot with me? You remember how I was acting? Well, it has only happened once before here. Ramsay and his father had to have me seen by a doctor when they first fostered me, because of my behavior.  Even though I was better...judge ordered it."

Jon leaned against the wall and listened with his eyes shut so his guilt wouldn't shine out of them. "The doctor gave me a medication..but it made me go right back to being a crazy asshole. I couldn't help it and it made Ramsay so angry. They stopped the medicine and I felt better again. Then Ramsay was happy, I was happy. No one understands, Jon. No one needs me or loves me like Ramsay can. And I love him so much, he is my world, Jon. Everyone else either hates me or only wants something from me. Ramsay just wants me to be who I am. He doesn't care about my quirks, he doesn't get angry or confused like everyone else. He loves me FOR my flaws. Who else ever would? What if Ramsay decides I will be too defiant now? What if he doesn't want me anymore?" Jon was drowning in guilt as Theon broke into soft sobs. What have they done?

Domeric finished cleaning the kitchen then took the trash out. As he walked towards the trashcan in the dark, snow crunching under his feet, he heard a terrible sound. Someone was sobbing so desolately,with such deep emotional pain that it hurt Domeric just to hear it. At first he thought a window to the basement must be open. Surely, only Theon down in the basement would make such a sound. To his shock, it wasn't Theon at all. Ramsay was sitting on the back porch in the dark shadows, sobbing into his hands. Domeric didn't make a noise as he went back into the house. What have we done?


	39. The Rebellion Stage Part 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter to this particular rebellion. Hope you enjoyed it, see you in the next doggie tale!

Domeric and Jon couldn't even last the night. Roose was sitting in the living room, he had given Ramsay a sleeping pill an hour ago. He had then gone downstairs and done the same with Theon. When the two boys crept into the room, he was waiting for them. "Well, are you finally done with your experiments then? Have you gotten the results you had hoped for, boys? I am assuming so since here you both are, shuffling your feet, eyes gone all sad and guilt-ridden."

Sighing Domeric nodded, he should have known. His father was never fooled by him and was barely fooled by Ramsay. "You knew the whole time what we did?" Roose arched his eyebrow. "I wouldn't notice medication missing, one that hasn't been touched in months? I wouldn't notice that you both suddenly developed an insane urge to cook twice a day, every day? Or was the fact that everything Theon ate was separate from everyone else?" Both boys looked down, bright red.

Then Jon looked up at a startling thought. "You..you knew and let us anyway? Even knowing how Theon would react, how Ramsay would? It could have been more dangerous than it was!" Roose stared at Jon until the boy started to squirm, until the boy paled and looked away. "If I didn't allow this little exploration of yours into Theon's head, you would have found a worse idea. The two of you have been obsessed with Theon's relationship with Ramsay. You needed to finally see why this really is the best arrangement for them. Whatever faults they each have it matches them together. They do better together than separately. They need each other."

Roose leaned back into his seat and sipped his coffee. "And I need Ramsay to take over my business someday. Since my first born doesn't wish it. I need Theon to balance out Ramsay so that my second son can do what my first won't. Now, I suggest that you both figure out how to remedy this situation with the boys by morning. Jon, why don't you head to bed, I wish to speak with Domeric for a moment."

Jon nodded, horrified at what a cold, deadly man Roose Bolton really was. He would have let anything happen to Theon, just to prove a point to Jon and Domeric? Shuddering, Jon looked out the window at his home and thought, hell, even Cat wasn't that cold. Then again, here he was in Roose Bolton's care because of Cat. Hell, maybe Jon's stepmother got the wrong match for a husband. He undressed then took as shower, trying to think of how to fix things. When he came out of the shower and walked down the hall back towards Domeric's room, Jon heard Ramsay sobbing behind his closed door.

Domeric stood before his father and scowled. "At least you waited until Jon went upstairs before punishing me, thank you. Is it your hand or the belt?" Roose shook his head and indicated for Domeric to sit. "I am not going to hit you at all. I am not going to punish you and I certainly don't have the right to punish Jon. Though I dearly wish I did." Domeric stared at his father confused as he sat down, trying to see the trick. "What is this really about, Dom? Why are you really home so long? What is this sudden obsession with fixing what you feel is wrong around here? I called your school and your grades are fine. Your apartment is paid up, you have a good group of friends, your job is going fine and you have a girlfriend. So why are you here miserable instead of there and happy?"

Looking down at his hands, Domeric shrugged. "I..I asked my girlfriend to marry me." Roose gave the thinnest of smiles and said, "Ah, now I understand. Congratulations, son. I am happy for you and for your lucky lady. So you thought since we would have to meet her at some point, you would see what state we were in. You were horrified for her ahead of time and tried to fix what you felt was wrong here. Domeric, you may create any type of home you wish and someday if you have children, you will raise them as you wish to. I love you, son and I would greatly enjoy meeting my daughter in law to be. But this is my home and it is run the way I choose it to run. Your brother and Theon are raised by me, in a way that I find workable for us. You must accept that one way or another. I think its time for you to go back to your fiance and have a talk with her about your family. Then perhaps you should let her decide if she wishes to meet us?" Domeric nodded and said wistfully, "I wish I had thought to tell you sooner." Roose added, "Me too. Goodnight, Domeric."

The next morning Ramsay woke up and wished he didn't. His bed was too empty so was his room. Too empty and quiet without Theon jumping around, babbling. Without at least hearing his pet clattering around downstairs making breakfast. The smell of eggs and sausages floated up but brought no interest to him. He dragged himself to get dressed anyway, Ramsay needed to make sure his pet got to the bathroom. Plus by now Roose has made an appointment for his pet with the doctor. It doesn't matter, he thought determined, Theon is my pet, I will adapt if I have to. I won't let father make me give him up. I will just have to prove that I can train Theon even if he gets his attitude problem. With a renewed conviction, he went into the kitchen.

Roose sat at the table with his face buried into a newspaper. Domeric was putting breakfast onto the table. "Should I go let Theon go to the bathroom and maybe have some breakfast?" Ramsay asked and Roose lowered his paper slightly. "No need. Jon took care of it already. He is with Theon now." Ramsay bristled and stormed towards the basement door. "I can care for himself myself." He muttered and he clattered down the stairs only to be confronted with a dark room and empty cage. "Oh no! He's gone! Father, what did you do? Where is my Theon? Where is he?" Ramsay screamed as he tore upstairs. Did his father give Theon back to the Starks? Did he give Theon to the doctor to put away?  "Calm yourself, Ramsay. He is in the yard with Jon playing catch before breakfast. He is much better now and I told Theon you would come get him to eat when we were ready."

Rushing to the window, Ramsay looked out and there was his pet with a sweet goofy grin, leaping for a ball. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ramsay leaned his head on the glass for a second. "He looks back to normal. Maybe it will stay this time?" Ramsay commented, chewing his finger in worry. Roose gave Domeric a look then put his head back into his newspaper. "Oh, I think it will stay, but if it doesn't it will only be temporary." Roose commented then went back to reading. Ramsay looked over questioningly, but it was Domeric who answered. "Here, we only crushed a few, his last one was in yesterday's breakfast. They should all be out of his system soon. I'm sorry, I fucked up. I had no right to mess up your relationship with Theon just because I didn't approve of it." Ramsay stared at the medicine bottle Domeric handed him as it began to make sense now.

Giving his brother a look that could kill mere mortal beings, Ramsay ran outside. He tossed the medication into the trashcan first, then shoved past Jon to get to his pet. Theon saw Ramsay coming and leaped into his arms, babbling about how sorry he was for his behavior. During breakfast, Theon only ate what Ramsay personally fed him from his own fork and plate. Then Ramsay carried his pet into his room and they did not come back out until nearly suppertime. During dinner that night, Jon and Domeric developed terrible stomach cramps and spent the night in the bathrooms. Roose sighed, Theon looked sympathetic and Ramsay was positively thrilled as he threw away the empty bottle of laxatives.

Two days later Jon went back to the Starks and Domeric packed to go back to school. "Ramsay and Theon, I do have news to tell you both before I leave." Domeric announced after Theon hugged him goodbye, his father patted his back and Ramsay rushed to be the first to get Domeric's shit into the trunk of his car. "What, can't you just call us later when you are far away about whatever it is?" Complained Ramsay as he tried to get Theon to stop wandering away. "I am getting married soon. So I would like to have you all meet my fiance. I hope you will all be able to get along."

As Domeric drove away Roose suddenly exclaimed, "We don't even know this girls name!" Theon peeked up and pulled on Ramsay's sleeve. "Did Dom forget to tell us her name?" Ramsay grinned back and gave his pet a smack across the back of his head. "No, he didn't forget, idiot. He chose NOT to tell us. Wonder why that is, father?" Roose didn't answer Ramsay, instead he groaned and just headed inside to call Locke to find out who his son was marrying.

Ramsay scooped up Theon and headed to dump him into the car then threw the leash at him. "Let's go play with Ben and the dogs." As Ramsay got into the car, his puppy looked up at him and told him he loved him. "I know that, stupid. I love you too. If you get that fucking attitude again..someday you might...if you do, I wont get rid of you, you know. I'll train you until you bleed and scream if I have to rather than ever let you leave me." And that to Reek was enough proof of love and he stuck his head out the window, content. 


	40. Dirty Puppy

Roose heard the sounds just in time to leap out of the way. "RAM-oh, there you are already, good." Just as the door burst open, Ramsay had skidded in front of the door with two large towels. "STAY! NO, NOT EVEN A TWITCH, THEON! Good boy. Wait." Ramsay put one towel spread down in front of the door and the other was at the ready, spread out in his hands.

Ben called a goodbye to Ramsay as he left with his wet dogs, all of them sloshing about in the pouring rain. "Okay, one step onto the towel. Only one step, I said!" "I am..I am. I saw ducks, Ramsay! They went right across the street and Krya went wild and so did-" Theon's babbling led him onto the towel and right forward. Luckily Ramsay was used to this and used his chest to shove Theon back. "On the towel! Shut up and stay still! Ugh, did you play in the damned sewers on your way back home?" 

Theon's voice was muffled by a towel that was thrown over his dripping head. "No, I played in the puddles with the dogs." "Ramsay that is useless. Strip and shower him right now. Carry him and I will take care of the clothing. Go." Roose waited until Ramsay had stripped and carried away the squirming, protesting boy before gathering the muddy, wet clothing. Throwing it into the washing machine, Roose went to finish cooking dinner.

He could hear Theon's crying and wailing as Ramsay yelled and wrestled the boy into the shower. It was a strange thing, how that boy always was such a mess. Roose has witnessed the thing for himself. He has personally put the boy together for the day, just to watch him turn a corner and come back ripped clothes and dirty skin. He has seen Theon jump into a pristine snow drift and come out as if he had been a miner's cave. 

That night at dinner, Roose mentioned that he heard from Domeric. "He has told his bride of us and she does want to meet us at some point. Domeric is not quite ready for that and has suggested we start with sending a family picture he can show her of us. So directly after school tomorrow you will meet me at the portrait shop at the mall. Perhaps you can bring Theon's outfit and put it on him near the end of the day, Ramsay. Just see that after you shower him in the morning, he stays clean. And that outfit shall remain clean as well. I put it in your closet next to the outfit for you."

Ramsay sighed when he saw the white bleached jeans and blue cashmere sweater for Theon and the same for him except with a crimson sweater. "There is no way you are wearing this to school. I will have you put it on when we get to the mall. It is gonna stay wrapped in the car and I don't want you touching it."

Ramsay got them up a half hour early the next morning so he could spend plenty of time on Theon's grooming. "Ow, Master! That is only skin, I don't have any nails left!" Blotting blood when needed, Ramsay continued to cut all Theon's nails down to the quick.

"You always get fucking nasty ass grime underneath your nails! It is either this or you spend all day in school wearing your mittens to keep your nails clean!" Theon hopped from foot to foot while Ramsay tried to gel his hair, earning himself a whack in the head with a hairbrush. The boy was in full out wailing misery by the time they got downstairs for breakfast.

"Master, I don't need to wear that! Please?" Ramsay grinned at Theon's humiliation as he was forced to wear a very large bib while eating. "I hope you have a better plan for his lunchtime, Ramsay. He can't sit in the cafeteria at school in a bib. I see the look on your face, son. You will not put him in a bib at lunch. If I hear of it, you'll regret it." 

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Ramsay muttered, "He only gets salad without dressing and some fruit at lunch anyway. I will switch the fruit for a roll today and milk for water. That should keep things somewhat neat." Roose said nothing further but his warning glare was enough. Ramsay was careful when putting Theon in the car for school. He practically carried the protesting boy to the car and put him into it. "Stay still! Don't move an inch!"

At school Ramsay kept Theon away from markers, outside, the gym and the art room. Things went well until lunchtime. "Today, I am getting our lunch tray. I don't even trust you to carry food without spilling it on yourself. So just follow and don't do anything stupid." Ramsay grabbed a tray and went towards the lunch-tables.

"Where are the salads? The rolls? The fruit?" He asked of the bored lunch lady who shrugged. "Produce truck never made it today. Pick something else, sonny." Ramsay eyed the choices left for his messy pet. Spaghetti and meatballs, which Theon was now begging for, Ramsay instantly vetoed. That left beef stew, another bad option for sure and cheeseburger with fries. That seemed safest and Ramsay went with it.

After they sat at the table, Ramsay made Theon sit on his hands while he prepared the meal. He cut up the burger into four small pieces then gave Theon two of the pieces along with a few fries on a paper plate. When he told Theon to eat, Ramsay slapped Theon's hands as they kept trying to reach for ketchup and mustard. "NO! Bad boy! Keep your hands on your plate only! You can't have anything that will stain. Stop whining or I'll give you real reason to be upset!"

Damon sat down next to Theon's other side and Ramsay nearly killed himself leaning over his pet. "Hey!" yelled Damon as Ramsay threw his chocolate milk and pudding off the table. "Nothing can get him dirty today, you fucking oaf!" Ramsay yelled back only to turn in horror to see Alyn sit directly across from Theon with the pasta dish.

While Damon argued that Ramsay needed to pay for his destroyed dessert, Theon began to eye Alyn's food. "Do not even think of it, Theon!" He snarled, yanking Theon out of the seat. He flung him away from the table right into Skinner who had been carrying beef stew, which now landed all over the three of them. Damon and Alyn laughed as Ramsay, Skinner and a wailing Theon stomped into the bathroom.

Ramsay and Theon had wear their old gym clothing for the rest of the day. Skinner had to dress from the lost and found and was just as mad as Damon at Ramsay. Alyn was also not speaking to Ramsay since he punched him in the nose for laughing at him. Ramsay had a new twitch by the end of the day, trying to keep Theon clean. Theon was even cranky now and Ramsay was beyond in a bad mood.

They got to the mall and Ramsay sighed in relief that it was almost over. He dressed himself and Theon in the restroom, fixing their hair and brushing their teeth.  Very carefully, Ramsay steered Theon towards the portrait shop feeling victorious. "Uh, Ramsay? Master? Hey? Master? Ramsay? Look!" Ignoring his pet, Ramsay only cared to get inside that damned door and get the picture done.

"Ramsay?" That voice was not Theon's but it was too late. Ramsay crashed into his father, knocking the small box of chocolate ice cream across his new shirt. It broke open and the contents smeared all over. Gritting his teeth, Roose said, "I had bought the ice cream for a reward for Theon for staying clean all day. You can use your money and buy him a new box while I get a new shirt which you will pay for."

The picture came out wonderful except for the look on Ramsay's face. An hour later his face looked worse while his father was beating his ass. Theon's face was the picture of bliss though, covered in chocolate ice cream that he ate as he sat on the back porch in the pouring icy rain, content and filthy. 


	41. Lost At The Mall

Theon was lost and he knew it. He did not panic because Ramsay always finds him no matter what. Or Skinner, Damon, Alyn or Ben will because they all were here together. Theon had to really beg and cajole his Master into letting him come with them to the new mall. "You will get lost and I will have to waste all my time looking for your dumb ass. Or you'll be clumsy and break shit that I will have to pay for, or you'll do something stupid and cause issues."

But Theon had sworn to behave, promised to not be stupid or clumsy or lost. Well, two out of three isn't bad, but Ramsay won't see it that way. Whimpering slightly, Theon craned his neck above the crowd of teens in front of him for any sign of Ramsay. If he finds him first, that would be much better.

No luck, he doesn't see anyone he knows. This mall was not like his usual one, it was much bigger with three levels. The maps looked like hieroglyphics and Theon rode the escalators randomly for a good fifteen minutes. He thought he saw Damon's large sandy head on the bottom floor, so he raced down there. It wasn't and Theon sighed as he headed towards a small room. A fuzzy carpet, colorful walls with paintings of fantasy dragons and castles, thick floor mats ready for a tired boy to sleep on.

Theon threw himself on a mat and decided to doze here until Ramsay found him. It never occurred to him to see who else was in the room or what the room was for. Too late, Theon cracked an eye as he heard the sounds of tiny excited feet. Then a chubby hand was in his mouth, another yanking on his collar yelling "PUPPY!" in his ear and an alien finger was drilling up his nostril in a brisk no nonsense motion.

As Theon tried to extract himself, more children showed up circling him. He only felt a delighted relief when an adult trilling voice came past the babbling children. "Oh, how lovely when other adults show to play with the little ones! This is wonderful, please enjoy!" He tried to tell the lady he didn't want to play with the children but one of the kids shoved a puppet into his mouth. "MAKE PUPPY PRETTY!" Became a chant and he drowned under their drool and willpower.

Alyn was the first to find him. "Oh my god, look at you. This is just too precious, this will look wonderful online." Alyn commented, holding up his phone.  "Please...help...me?" Theon cried out slowly, spitting glitter and lipstick out of his mouth. A little girl jabbed a tiara onto the curls that were hopelessly knotted with ribbons. He winced with pain as it slammed the cat ears they had already given him nearly into his temple. "Oh no...you enjoy yourself, puppy. I will let Ramsay know where to find you. He can watch it on Youtube."

Damon came by to hear Theon howling as if being tortured to death. Knowing the boy's penchant for getting stuck and injured, he rushed forward. Then stopped and began to grin, then laugh. His phone came out and he texted Skinner who texted Ben. No one bothered to contact Ramsay at all. Ramsay searched the mall twice over before his cell beeped with texts. He stared at them confused.

 **THIS IS SICK EVEN FOR YOU, RAMSAY!** He wondered what the hell Robb was talking about when he saw Jon's text next.

 **YOU ARE NOT IN THE VIDEO, I DON'T HEAR YOU LAUGHING JUST YOUR BOYS. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE THEON IS OR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HIM?** He shook his head in frustration and growled, "No. But no one is fucking telling me, are they? But everyone else seems to know. Another ping and Ramsay was almost scared to look.

 **RAMSAY, I WANT THIS VIDEO REMOVED AND I WANT YOU AND YOUR PET HOME NOW. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?** Great, now his father is angry and probably ready to beat Ramsay for something he doesn't even know about. He started to stalk the mall again, looking for any sign of Theon while sending the same angry text to all the boys.

**I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU HAVE DONE BUT WHERE IS THEON? I WILL BEAT THE FUCK OUT OF YOU IF YOU DON'T TELL ME NOW!**

**RAMSAY, CALM DOWN. IT IS ALL GOOD THEON IS FINE. WE ARE IN THE BASEMENT SECTION NEAR THE OLD RECORD STORE. CHECK YOUTUBE FIRST, ALYN SAID.**

Ramsay growled at Damon's text and headed for the basement level. As he went down the escalators, Ramsay checked Alyn's YouTube page and groaned. Then laughed hysterically and then groaned some more. He stomped into the Fair Walda's Playroom and then couldn't hold onto his angry look. His puppy never looked so miserable in his whole life. Theon was surrounded by tiny children that were surveying their living art.

Poor Theon was wearing several layers of ruffles, bright lacy scarfs and boas. Black cat ears, a plastic pink tiara and large fake earrings with his curls all haywire around it. Large red circles on his cheeks, lipstick on his lips and chin, glitter covered the rest of his face. Huge swaths of glittery gold and green. Ramsay blurted out, "You look like Tinkerbell fucking exploded on your face!" He laughed as hard as his boys did. 

Fair Walda was thrilled to see how many more boys have come to play with the little cherubs. "Oh look children! More makeovers!" Sansa and Joff were sure to film the whole thing and upload it from the doorway of the playroom. They had been in the mall browsing when Robb sent Sansa the video of Theon. Joff giggled as the bullies howled and pleaded for mercy as they were overtaken by the coffee table sized tyrants.


	42. Puppy Bowl Part One

Theon was babbling with excitement as he watched Ramsay put bags of snacks in the carriage along with their regular grocery list from Roose. So many times Ramsay has had to yank his pet by the collar to keep him moving. "I swear to god, if you don't calm down, you are going in the carriage. Is that what you want, Theon? Want everybody here to see you sitting like a toddler?" The threat fell on deaf ears as Theon spied the aisle full of chocolate and shiny velvet hearts. Groaning, Ramsay muttered, "Why do they start earlier every fucking year?" He chased his boy down and followed through on his threat.

Theon did sound exactly like a toddler, crying and whining that it was hurting him. Ramsay ignored him except to slap at the grubby hands reaching for things. Ramsay didn't release him until the food was bought and bagged. Only after he slowly rolled the carriage through the whole parking lot twice and finally reached his car, did he pull Theon out. Or tried to. Twenty minutes later, Theon was at a full howl, Ramsay was ripping his hair out and the shopping manager called the fire department. When they finally made it home, Roose was tapping his foot impatiently at the door. Dinner was ready and they were late. That was something Roose couldn't abide, tardiness without at least a phone call.

Both boys leaned their palms against the wall in the foyer as Roose unbuckled his belt. Ramsay glared at Theon and snarled, "This is your fault." With great alarm, Theon peeked up into Ramsay's icy eyes. "I'm sorry! Please, Master, I..I can still come to the party, please?" He has been looking forward to this for weeks. Ramsay was setting up food, games, horror movies and music. As Ramsay had planned it, Theon got more and more into it with him. He even cleaned the large gaming room that they were using for the main room. It has a large screen television that covers one wall. Gaming chairs and consoles. Theon even polished the darts, polished the bar, then took out all the liquor and replaced it with soda, as Roose decreed. He had no idea how to clean a pool table so he left it alone.

Ramsay saw the desperation in his pet's face and growled. "I don't know yet, Theon. I am pissed. Let me think about it, you better fucking behave if you have any fucking hope of going!" Roose gave five hard strikes to each on their bare asses then told them to pull up their pants and sit for dinner. Sitting on hot pulsing flesh, the two of them struggled not to squirm. Normally, Theon goes to Ramsay for comfort when he is hurt. Even if it's Ramsay that has hurt him. The few times he has managed to anger Roose enough to strap him, his Master cuddled him for hours after. This time his Master was hurt too and angry. Whimpering softly, he gave pleading, loving eyes to Ramsay but he was ignored. "Eat your dinner." Ramsay snapped and tapped Theon's plate with a fork. "Say it, what do I want?" Slouching down, Theon replied, "Sit. Shut up. Eat."

After dinner, Roose gave another lecture about the party Ramsay was having with his friends. He went over the rules until Ramsay was pleading that he understood. Ramsay repeated the rules back to his father twice before the two boys were released. Theon followed his Master as he stomped up the stairs to his room. Twisting his hands, Theon knew he had to fix this and fast. Before it spilled painfully over him or Ramsay said he couldn't go! He would rather Ramsay beat him! He entered the room and shut the door. Quickly, he went to hands and knees, crawling towards the fuming Ramsay. "Master, can I..please?" Yet even as he asked, Theon was caressing his face against the bulge in Ramsay's jeans. Ramsay raised his hand and slapped his pet. Then he yanked him by his hair over to the bed. Ramsay sat against the headboard with a smirk. "Okay, doggie. Earn your chance to come to the party."

A very long while later, just before Theon drifted on, content laying on his Master's chest..

"You can go to the party. I want good behavior or it will be the last time you are allowed to attend. Understand me?"

"Thank you! I promise I will be really good! You won't regret it."

Ramsay winced at that but started to fall into sleep before he could reply. In his dreams Theon got his head stuck in the large screen, dangling in the air, feet kicking. He dreamed of Theon accidentally getting a dart in his eye. In another one Theon accidentally somehow set all his buddies on fire. Startling awake, he looked down at his curled up doggie. Theon's face looked so innocent and young in his sleep and he fell asleep with a smile, thinking of the fucking party. Damn it. He hopes those dreams are not omens. Ramsay had a suckish holiday and really wants to have a good time. He really hopes that Theon is right and he won't regret this.  


	43. Puppy Bowl Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to this party story.

Ramsay had Theon fill the bowls with things that had the boy drooling. Four kinds of chips. Popcorn. A huge bowl full of Swedish fish jellies and another bowl of small square chocolates. As if that wasn't quite enough, Ramsay made a huge platter of nachos, piled high with toppings. Bottles of soda completed it all. Theon carefully arranged everything on the table, including paper plates and cups. Napkins were made into little sailboats that Ramsay declared stupid.

When Theon went to sneak and steal a chip, Ramsay whacked his hand. "Bad dog! No! I said you could come to the party, I NEVER said you would be allowed to eat! You know how disgusting your hands always are! And I don't want to waste time at my party trying to keep you from getting food everywhere! You can eat whatever is leftover after the party. If I catch you sneaking your hands into a single thing on that table, that includes the drinks, you will be banned from the rest of the party. Hear me, Theon?" Slumping down and offering pleading eyes, Theon said he heard him.

To Theon's surprise but apparently not Ramsay's, girls showed up too. He had expected Damon, Skinner, Alyn and Ben to show up. He growled softly at the sight of Myranda, but looked shyly in greeting at Violet, Shae and Tansy. Ramsay shoved his pet and ordered him to pour drinks for everyone. He only spilled twice before Ramsay sighed and said, "Useless. See, you always make a mess of everything. Just touch nothing, don't bother anyone either." Theon was pushed away from the bottles and he found himself continually pushed by the boys until he was away from them all.

He whined softly and wrung his hands, shifting his feet. As the music went on, the hidden vodka came out to be poured into the cups of soda and they all got louder. Theon tried a few times to get near Ramsay but was blocked by Myranda or large ass Damon who just slammed into everybody. He tried to inch near the table, he was hoping maybe he could nudge it and something would spill. Then he could drink it off the ground. Or maybe instead of soda maybe he will even knock down a snack! Ramsay never said he couldn't have these things...just not with his hands. And no touching the table of course with his hands.

Theon had no idea he had an audience. He slowly inched his way towards the table, licking his lips, whimpering, tightly holding his hands behind his back. Slowly Violet,Tansy and Shae stopped paying attention to the boys at all. Theon's large hopeful eyes were focused ahead on table, the closer he got, the more he shivered in excitement. Myranda noticed that everyone was paying attention to the fucking puppy slut and it pissed her off. Poking Ramsay, who had been smoking a joint while contemplating what games to play, Myranda snarled, "Didn't you tell that little shit not to go near the table?"

"THEON! What are you doing? Get away from that table or you will be in the corner!" With a sad downcast look, Theon let his arms dangle again and moved further away. A tear streamed down his cheek and he slid down the wall to sit with his knees up to hide his face in. Shae gave Ramsay a dirty look and said, "That is just plain fucking cruel, Ramsay. Did we come here to watch you torment this poor little puppy?"

Violet strode forward, knocking Alyn out of her way. "I am going to give him something. The poor little guy...if you say I can't, I'm leaving." That sentiment was loudly echoed by Tansy and Shae. Slowly Damon, Alyn, Skinner and Ben turned hostile eyes to Ramsay. Each of them were hoping to score with one of these party girls and Ramsay was fucking ruining it. Ramsay glared back at the boys then gave a sharp nod. "Fine. Reek cannot touch any food or drink with his hands though. It will be pretty gross."  With a gasp, Theon looked up at Ramsay as if he had been offered a bacon pizza. "Oh, thank you!" The girls all made an "aww" sound while Myranda sneered.

Twenty minutes later, Ramsay was the most lonely person at the party. The boys all sat in a group staring sullenly at Ramsay or at the girls flocking around Theon. Myranda got pissed at the show of so many fawning over that little whore and Ramsay was staring too. She was standing by herself, texting to find a better party. Ramsay couldn't give a flying fuck what any of them thought. He watched HIS pet do tricks and perform like any eager puppy for the girls. He watched as they gave him bits of food from their hands, he watched as they tossed food gently for him to catch. He watched them applaud and coo over the feat. He watched as they gave him sips of soda. Then the girls started to pet Theon's tousled curls and Ramsay was done.

He marched to his room and rummaged on his closet shelf. Finding the two bowls, Ramsay went back into the party. Ignoring all of them, Ramsay grabbed Theon's collar and yanked him up. Sticking the bowls onto the table, he pulled Theon closer. "Tell me which snacks you want and what soda you want, pup." He filled the water dish with orange soda and a little of every snack that Theon pointed out carefully went into the dog dish. Ramsay sat in his chair and snapped, pointing at his feet. Instantly, Theon knelt down and rubbed his head against his Master's knee.  Ramsay put the dishes at the side of his chair. "What are the rules?" Theon looked longingly at the bowls then up at Ramsay with adoring eyes. "Sit. Shut up. Eat."

"Good boy." Ramsay rubbed his pet's hair lazily as Theon happily went on hands and knees to drink and eat. At first the girls found it adorable, but as he got messier and Ramsay's smile got sharper, they went back to the boys. Ramsay decided to bring the puppy bowls to every party from here on out. At the end of the night, only Myranda was still glaring at him.


End file.
